Latest news with #DepartmentofGovernmentEfficiency
New Indian Express
15 minutes ago
- Business
- New Indian Express
Musk vows to stay Trump's 'friend' in bizarre black-eyed farewell
WASHINGTON: Billionaire Elon Musk bade farewell to Donald Trump in an extraordinary Oval Office appearance Friday, sporting a black eye, brushing aside drug abuse claims and vowing to stay a "friend and advisor" to the US president. As the world's richest person bowed out of his role as Trump's cost-cutter-in-chief, the Republican hailed Musk's "incredible service" and handed him a golden key to the White House. But Trump insisted that Musk was "really not leaving" after a turbulent four months in which his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) cut tens of thousands of jobs, shuttered whole agencies and slashed foreign aid. "He's going to be back and forth," said Trump, showering praise on the tech tycoon for what he called the "most sweeping and consequential government reform program in generations." South-African born Musk, wearing a black T-shirt with the word "Dogefather" in white lettering and a black DOGE baseball cap, said many of the $1 trillion savings he promised would take time to bear fruit. "I look forward to continuing to be a friend and advisor to the president," he said. But many people were more interested in the livid black bruise around Musk's right eye. Speculation about the cause was further fueled by accusations in the New York Times Friday that Musk used so much of the drug ketamine on the 2024 campaign trail that he developed bladder problems.
eNCA
35 minutes ago
- Business
- eNCA
Musk vows to stay Trump's 'friend' in bizarre black-eyed farewell
USA - Billionaire Elon Musk bade farewell to Donald Trump in an extraordinary Oval Office appearance Friday, sporting a black eye, brushing aside drug abuse claims and vowing to stay a "friend and advisor" to the US president. As the world's richest person bowed out of his role as Trump's cost-cutter-in-chief, the Republican hailed Musk's "incredible service" and handed him a golden key to the White House. But Trump insisted that Musk was "really not leaving" after a turbulent four months in which his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) cut tens of thousands of jobs, shuttered whole agencies and slashed foreign aid. "He's going to be back and forth," said Trump, showering praise on the tech tycoon for what he called the "most sweeping and consequential government reform program in generations." South-African born Musk, wearing a black T-shirt with the word "Dogefather" in white lettering and a black DOGE baseball cap, said many of the $1 trillion savings he promised would take time to bear fruit. "I look forward to continuing to be a friend and advisor to the president," he said. But many people were more interested in the livid black bruise around Musk's right eye. Speculation about the cause was further fueled by accusations in the New York Times Friday that Musk used so much of the drug ketamine on the 2024 campaign trail that he developed bladder problems. - 'Punch me' - The SpaceX and Tesla magnate said that his son was to blame for the injury. AFP | Allison ROBBERT "I was just horsing around with lil' X, and I said, 'go ahead punch me in the face,'" 53-year-old Musk said. "And he did. Turns out even a five-year-old punching you in the face actually is..." he added, before tailing off. Musk, however, dodged a question about the drug allegations. The New York Times said Musk, the biggest donor to Trump's 2024 election campaign, also took ecstasy and psychoactive mushrooms and traveled with a pill box last year. Musk, who has long railed against the news media and championed his X social media platform as an alternative, took aim at the paper instead. "Is that the same publication that got a Pulitzer Prize for false reporting on the Russiagate?" said Musk, referring to claims that Trump's 2016 election campaign colluded with Moscow. "Let's move on. Okay. Next question." Later in the day, when a reporter asked Trump if he was "aware of Elon Musk's regular drug use," Trump simply responded: "I wasn't." "I think Elon is a fantastic guy," he added. The White House had earlier played down the report. "The drugs that we're concerned about are the drugs running across the southern border" from Mexico, said Trump's Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, whose wife works for Musk. Musk has previously admitted to taking ketamine, saying he was prescribed it to treat a "negative frame of mind" and suggesting his use of drugs benefited his work. - 'Disappointed' - The latest in a series of made-for-TV Oval Office events was aimed at putting a positive spin on Musk's departure. AFP | Allison ROBBERT Musk is leaving Trump's administration under a cloud, after admitting disillusionment with his role and criticizing the Republican president's spending plans. It was a far cry from his first few weeks as Trump's chainsaw-brandishing sidekick. At one time Musk was almost inseparable from Trump, glued to his side on Air Force One, Marine One, in the White House and at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. The right-wing magnate's DOGE led an ideologically-driven rampage through the federal government, with its young "tech bros" slashing tens of thousands of jobs. But DOGE's achievements fell far short of Musk's original goal of saving $2 trillion dollars. The White House says DOGE has made $170 billion in savings so far. The independent "Doge Tracker" site has counted just $12 billion while the Atlantic magazine put it far lower, at $2 billion. Musk's "move fast and break things" mantra was also at odds with some of his cabinet colleagues, and he said earlier this week that he was "disappointed" in Trump's planned mega tax and spending bill as it undermined DOGE's cuts. Musk's companies, meanwhile, have suffered. Tesla shareholders called for him to return to work as sales slumped and protests targeted the electric vehicle maker, while SpaceX had a series of fiery rocket failures.
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Business Standard
35 minutes ago
- Business
- Business Standard
Elon Musk pledges to remain Trump adviser after stepping away from DOGE
By Dana Hull and Gregory Korte Elon Musk said he would continue to advise President Donald Trump even after stepping away from the Department of Government Efficiency effort he has spearheaded. 'I expect to remain a friend and an adviser, and hopefully, if there's anything the president wants me to do, I'm at the president's service,' Musk said alongside Trump during a press conference Friday at the White House. 'This is not the end of DOGE, but really the beginning.' The comments indicate that the chief executive officer of Tesla Inc. and SpaceX plans to remain in the president's orbit despite vows to pull back from Washington and prioritize his business empire. As the head of DOGE, Musk's efforts to slash spending and cut government jobs have drawn pushback from federal workers and Democratic lawmakers as well as a consumer backlash to the electric-vehicle company. The event Friday served to rebut recent media reports of the world's richest person falling out of favor in Washington, fueled in part by Musk's criticism of some of the administration's signature tariff and tax policies. Trump spoke highly of Musk, even gifting him a ceremonial gold key. 'Elon is really not leaving,' Trump said. 'He's going to be back and forth.' Musk's divided attention has rattled investors and Wall Street analysts who underestimated the damage being done to Tesla's brand around the world. As discontent grew over his focus, the billionaire vowed to pull back 'significantly' from his government work to devote more time to Tesla as it nears the critical launch of robotaxi service in Austin. While Tesla's share price has partly recovered from a deep slide in the first quarter, the fallout has hit Musk's personal wealth. The stock — a huge source of his fortune — is down about 14% this year, wiping out roughly $45 billion from his net worth, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. Musk on Friday declined to comment on a report earlier in the day by the New York Times that he used drugs more heavily than previously known while campaigning for Trump's reelection last year. Musk took ketamine often, as well as Ecstasy and psychedelic mushrooms on occasion, and exhibited erratic behavior, according to the report. Trump, asked Friday night by a reporter if he was aware of Musk's regular drug use, said: 'No I wasn't. I think he's fantastic.' Asked if he was troubled by the report, Trump responded that he was 'not troubled by anything with Elon' and praised his work for DOGE, saying that he had done a 'great job.' Largest Donor Musk, 53, was the largest donor supporting Trump's reelection, giving more than $250 million. As a special government employee under the administration, Musk could keep running his businesses while maintaining an office in the White House. It was a temporary arrangement with the law governing SGEs allowing only 130 days of work a year. Musk will continue to have Trump's ear, similar to some other high-powered CEOs, but losing the special status is poised to alter the relationship. Despite pledges to continue, the CEO's time in politics 'is essentially over after this experiment that clearly morphed into brand damage for Tesla and took on a life of its own,' Wedbush analyst Dan Ives said in a note to clients. Musk has been pushing lawmakers in recent weeks to set up a basic framework for autonomous vehicles, Bloomberg reported, underscoring the overlap between his business interests and government. During Friday's press conference, ostensibly held to mark the end of Musk's government service, Musk wore a black hat and black t-shirt with the slogan 'The Dogefather.' He also sported a black eye, drawing questions from reporters in the room. Musk said his 5-year-old son, X, had caused it. 'I said go ahead, punch me in the face, and he did,' Musk said. 'I didn't really feel much at the time but I guess it bruises.'
The Advertiser
an hour ago
- Business
- The Advertiser
Black-eyed Musk denies drug use as US govt tenure ends
US President Donald Trump has praised billionaire Elon Musk's efforts to cut federal spending, as the Tesla boss departs his administration after a chaotic tenure that saw the elimination of thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in contracts. Musk, who headed the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), disrupted numerous agencies across the federal bureaucracy but ultimately fell far short of the massive savings he had initially promised. A White House official on Wednesday said Musk would be leaving the administration. "Elon has worked tirelessly helping lead the most sweeping and consequential government reform program in generations," Trump said on Friday from behind the Resolute Desk, as Musk stood to his right, wearing a black DOGE hat and a T-shirt that read "The Dogefather" in the style of the movie The Godfather. In recent days, Musk had prompted some frustration among White House officials by criticising Trump's sweeping tax and spending bill as too expensive. Some senior aides, including Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller and Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, saw Musk's remarks on the tax bill as an open break from the administration, with Miller particularly irked by the comments. There was no evidence of tension during the joint appearance on Friday, where Trump said Musk would continue to play a role in his administration. "Elon is really not leaving," Trump said. "He's going to be back and forth." Musk also addressed a New York Times report published on Friday, which alleged he used drugs "more intensely than previously known" during 2024's election campaign when he actively supported Trump. Citing anonymous sources, the report claimed Musk's drug use included ecstasy, psychedelic mushrooms, stimulants like Adderall, and large quantities of ketamine that allegedly began affecting his bladder. "Is that the same publication that won a Pulitzer for fake news about Russiagate? Is it the same one? I think it is!" Musk responded, quickly moving on to take a question from another reporter. Sporting a bruise near his right eye, Musk also offered some levity during the press conference. When asked about the bruise, Musk blamed his five-year-old son, X. "II was joking around with little X, told him, 'Come on, punch me in the face', and he did," said Musk, adding that the mark had nothing to do with France. His comment referenced a viral incident earlier this week in which French First Lady Brigitte Macron was caught on camera slapping French President Emmanuel Macron during a public event. Initially, the White House and senior aides insisted Musk, the world's richest man, was a key figure who wasn't going anywhere. But more recently, they began pointing to the expiration of his 130-day mandate as a special government employee, which was set to end around Friday as a natural endpoint. Musk has said he intends to devote most of his energy to his business empire, including Tesla and SpaceX, after some investors expressed concern that DOGE was occupying too much of his time. He has also said he plans to ratchet back his political spending, after he spent nearly $US300 million ($A467 million) backing Trump's presidential campaign and those of other Republicans in 2024. Musk initially claimed DOGE would slash at least $US2 ($A3.1) trillion in federal spending. Four months into its efforts, DOGE now estimates it has saved $US175 billion ($A272 billion). with EFE US President Donald Trump has praised billionaire Elon Musk's efforts to cut federal spending, as the Tesla boss departs his administration after a chaotic tenure that saw the elimination of thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in contracts. Musk, who headed the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), disrupted numerous agencies across the federal bureaucracy but ultimately fell far short of the massive savings he had initially promised. A White House official on Wednesday said Musk would be leaving the administration. "Elon has worked tirelessly helping lead the most sweeping and consequential government reform program in generations," Trump said on Friday from behind the Resolute Desk, as Musk stood to his right, wearing a black DOGE hat and a T-shirt that read "The Dogefather" in the style of the movie The Godfather. In recent days, Musk had prompted some frustration among White House officials by criticising Trump's sweeping tax and spending bill as too expensive. Some senior aides, including Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller and Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, saw Musk's remarks on the tax bill as an open break from the administration, with Miller particularly irked by the comments. There was no evidence of tension during the joint appearance on Friday, where Trump said Musk would continue to play a role in his administration. "Elon is really not leaving," Trump said. "He's going to be back and forth." Musk also addressed a New York Times report published on Friday, which alleged he used drugs "more intensely than previously known" during 2024's election campaign when he actively supported Trump. Citing anonymous sources, the report claimed Musk's drug use included ecstasy, psychedelic mushrooms, stimulants like Adderall, and large quantities of ketamine that allegedly began affecting his bladder. "Is that the same publication that won a Pulitzer for fake news about Russiagate? Is it the same one? I think it is!" Musk responded, quickly moving on to take a question from another reporter. Sporting a bruise near his right eye, Musk also offered some levity during the press conference. When asked about the bruise, Musk blamed his five-year-old son, X. "II was joking around with little X, told him, 'Come on, punch me in the face', and he did," said Musk, adding that the mark had nothing to do with France. His comment referenced a viral incident earlier this week in which French First Lady Brigitte Macron was caught on camera slapping French President Emmanuel Macron during a public event. Initially, the White House and senior aides insisted Musk, the world's richest man, was a key figure who wasn't going anywhere. But more recently, they began pointing to the expiration of his 130-day mandate as a special government employee, which was set to end around Friday as a natural endpoint. Musk has said he intends to devote most of his energy to his business empire, including Tesla and SpaceX, after some investors expressed concern that DOGE was occupying too much of his time. He has also said he plans to ratchet back his political spending, after he spent nearly $US300 million ($A467 million) backing Trump's presidential campaign and those of other Republicans in 2024. Musk initially claimed DOGE would slash at least $US2 ($A3.1) trillion in federal spending. Four months into its efforts, DOGE now estimates it has saved $US175 billion ($A272 billion). with EFE US President Donald Trump has praised billionaire Elon Musk's efforts to cut federal spending, as the Tesla boss departs his administration after a chaotic tenure that saw the elimination of thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in contracts. Musk, who headed the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), disrupted numerous agencies across the federal bureaucracy but ultimately fell far short of the massive savings he had initially promised. A White House official on Wednesday said Musk would be leaving the administration. "Elon has worked tirelessly helping lead the most sweeping and consequential government reform program in generations," Trump said on Friday from behind the Resolute Desk, as Musk stood to his right, wearing a black DOGE hat and a T-shirt that read "The Dogefather" in the style of the movie The Godfather. In recent days, Musk had prompted some frustration among White House officials by criticising Trump's sweeping tax and spending bill as too expensive. Some senior aides, including Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller and Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, saw Musk's remarks on the tax bill as an open break from the administration, with Miller particularly irked by the comments. There was no evidence of tension during the joint appearance on Friday, where Trump said Musk would continue to play a role in his administration. "Elon is really not leaving," Trump said. "He's going to be back and forth." Musk also addressed a New York Times report published on Friday, which alleged he used drugs "more intensely than previously known" during 2024's election campaign when he actively supported Trump. Citing anonymous sources, the report claimed Musk's drug use included ecstasy, psychedelic mushrooms, stimulants like Adderall, and large quantities of ketamine that allegedly began affecting his bladder. "Is that the same publication that won a Pulitzer for fake news about Russiagate? Is it the same one? I think it is!" Musk responded, quickly moving on to take a question from another reporter. Sporting a bruise near his right eye, Musk also offered some levity during the press conference. When asked about the bruise, Musk blamed his five-year-old son, X. "II was joking around with little X, told him, 'Come on, punch me in the face', and he did," said Musk, adding that the mark had nothing to do with France. His comment referenced a viral incident earlier this week in which French First Lady Brigitte Macron was caught on camera slapping French President Emmanuel Macron during a public event. Initially, the White House and senior aides insisted Musk, the world's richest man, was a key figure who wasn't going anywhere. But more recently, they began pointing to the expiration of his 130-day mandate as a special government employee, which was set to end around Friday as a natural endpoint. Musk has said he intends to devote most of his energy to his business empire, including Tesla and SpaceX, after some investors expressed concern that DOGE was occupying too much of his time. He has also said he plans to ratchet back his political spending, after he spent nearly $US300 million ($A467 million) backing Trump's presidential campaign and those of other Republicans in 2024. Musk initially claimed DOGE would slash at least $US2 ($A3.1) trillion in federal spending. Four months into its efforts, DOGE now estimates it has saved $US175 billion ($A272 billion). with EFE US President Donald Trump has praised billionaire Elon Musk's efforts to cut federal spending, as the Tesla boss departs his administration after a chaotic tenure that saw the elimination of thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in contracts. Musk, who headed the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), disrupted numerous agencies across the federal bureaucracy but ultimately fell far short of the massive savings he had initially promised. A White House official on Wednesday said Musk would be leaving the administration. "Elon has worked tirelessly helping lead the most sweeping and consequential government reform program in generations," Trump said on Friday from behind the Resolute Desk, as Musk stood to his right, wearing a black DOGE hat and a T-shirt that read "The Dogefather" in the style of the movie The Godfather. In recent days, Musk had prompted some frustration among White House officials by criticising Trump's sweeping tax and spending bill as too expensive. Some senior aides, including Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller and Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, saw Musk's remarks on the tax bill as an open break from the administration, with Miller particularly irked by the comments. There was no evidence of tension during the joint appearance on Friday, where Trump said Musk would continue to play a role in his administration. "Elon is really not leaving," Trump said. "He's going to be back and forth." Musk also addressed a New York Times report published on Friday, which alleged he used drugs "more intensely than previously known" during 2024's election campaign when he actively supported Trump. Citing anonymous sources, the report claimed Musk's drug use included ecstasy, psychedelic mushrooms, stimulants like Adderall, and large quantities of ketamine that allegedly began affecting his bladder. "Is that the same publication that won a Pulitzer for fake news about Russiagate? Is it the same one? I think it is!" Musk responded, quickly moving on to take a question from another reporter. Sporting a bruise near his right eye, Musk also offered some levity during the press conference. When asked about the bruise, Musk blamed his five-year-old son, X. "II was joking around with little X, told him, 'Come on, punch me in the face', and he did," said Musk, adding that the mark had nothing to do with France. His comment referenced a viral incident earlier this week in which French First Lady Brigitte Macron was caught on camera slapping French President Emmanuel Macron during a public event. Initially, the White House and senior aides insisted Musk, the world's richest man, was a key figure who wasn't going anywhere. But more recently, they began pointing to the expiration of his 130-day mandate as a special government employee, which was set to end around Friday as a natural endpoint. Musk has said he intends to devote most of his energy to his business empire, including Tesla and SpaceX, after some investors expressed concern that DOGE was occupying too much of his time. He has also said he plans to ratchet back his political spending, after he spent nearly $US300 million ($A467 million) backing Trump's presidential campaign and those of other Republicans in 2024. Musk initially claimed DOGE would slash at least $US2 ($A3.1) trillion in federal spending. Four months into its efforts, DOGE now estimates it has saved $US175 billion ($A272 billion). with EFE
The Hill
an hour ago
- Business
- The Hill
Haberman: Trump officials ‘happy' about Musk's departure
CNN political analyst Maggie Haberman said some White House officials are excited to see Elon Musk exit his role as a special government employee. The tech giant led the Department of Government Efficiency for 130 days with an objective to downsize federal spending by trillions. Haberman, also a New York Times journalist, said news coverage about cuts were politically 'problematic' for Trump and the reputation of his administration. 'They are happy…to have him go because, look, there are things [Musk] did that some of them are happy with. A bunch of them in Trump's world came around to Musk. Many others, however, were not so happy,' Haberman said during a Friday appearance on CNN's 'AC360.' The journalist said Musk's unsupported claims that dead people were receiving social security benefits and other unsubstantiated statements served as a 'source of tension' for the White House. Haberman added that the billionaire's social media presence granted him the power to 'intimidate' many of his colleagues in the government. Trump directly addressed Musk's role as an adviser during a Friday presser, commending the Tesla CEO for his government work. 'There's nobody like him, and he had to go through the slings and the arrows, which is a shame, because he's an incredible patriot,' the president told reporters in the Oval. Both Trump and Musk have said DOGE's work will continue even as the CEO retreats from the spotlight in Washington. 'This is not the end of DOGE, but really the beginning,' Musk said. 'The DOGE team will only grow stronger over time. The DOGE influence will only go stronger,' Musk added. 'It is permeating throughout the government, and I am confident that, over time, we will see a trillion dollars of savings and a reduction in — a trillion dollars of waste and fraud reduction.' Musk said he would help the agency chuck $36 trillion off the standing national debt.
