Trump gives Elon Musk an Oval Office send-off
Mr Trump credited Mr Musk with 'a colossal change in the old ways of doing business in Washington' and said some of his staff would remain in the administration.
Mr Musk, who wore all black including a T-shirt that said 'The Dogefather', nodded along as the president listed contracts that had been cut under his watch. Elon Musk speaks during a news conference (Evan Vucci/AP)
'I think the Doge team is doing an incredible job,' Mr Musk said after accepting a ceremonial key from the president.
'They're going to continue to be doing an incredible job.'
He left a searing mark on the federal bureaucracy, including thousands of employees who were fired or pushed out. Some government functions were eviscerated, such as the US Agency for International Development, which had provided a lifeline for impoverished people around the world.
Boston University researchers estimate that hundreds of thousands of people have already died as a result of the USAID cuts.
Despite the upheaval, Mr Musk also fell far short of his goals. After promising to cut one trillion or even two trillion dollars in federal spending, he lowered expectations to only 150 billion dollars in the current fiscal year.
It is unclear whether that target has been hit. The Doge website tallies 175 billion dollars in savings, but its information has been riddled with errors and embellishments.
Mr Trump said Mr Musk had led the 'most sweeping and consequential government reform effort in generations'.
He suggested that Mr Musk is 'really not leaving' and 'he's going to be back and forth' to keep tabs on what is happening in the administration.
Mr Musk, the world's richest person, recently said he would reduce his political donations. He was Mr Trump's top donor in last year's presidential campaign.
Mr Trump appeared eager to end Mr Musk's service on a high note.
'This will be his last day, but not really, because he will, always, be with us, helping all the way,' Mr Trump wrote on social media on Thursday evening. 'Elon is terrific!'
As a special government employee, Mr Musk's position was designed to be temporary. However, he had speculated about staying 'indefinitely', working part time for the administration, if Mr Trump still wanted his help.
Mr Musk has brushed off questions about how Doge would continue without him, even suggesting it could 'gain momentum' in the future.
'Doge is a way of life,' he told reporters recently. 'Like Buddhism.'
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