Controversial conservative consigliere Elon Musk has disembarked the Trump Train less than 150 days into its second voyage. Following hysterical Kamala campaign claims of a shadow presidency and oligarchical optics, the fiscal firebrand was granted a golden key to the Oval Office and sent on his merry way. Whether such early exit is the result of a long-planned timetable or an organic manifestation of real-time policy development, we may never know. In any case, it appears he was never meant to be a permanent fixture on Pennsylvania Ave.
Despite his abbreviated tenure, the South African entrepreneur's departure was properly feted, including a White House send-off and praise from the Donald himself. "Elon's delivered a colossal change in the old ways of doing business in Washington," according to the President, who also revealed that Elon's employment had drawn to a contractual close. Despite the paranoid projections of last year, his particular role only allows him to work up to 130 days per year for the federal government unless converted to a more permanent position.
Even in such a short time, Musk took perhaps more action than a majority of government servants will take over the course of their entire careers. As head of the Department of Government Efficiency, Elon claims to have cut over $150 billion from the United States budget and reduced the federal workforce by a whopping 12%. Following the conclusion of his tenure at DOGE, the White House sent a $9.4 billion rescissions package to Congress, intending to claw back previously appropriated funds. Speaker Johnson considers the action a priority, and under simple majority rules, it can pass both chambers without a single democratic vote. The novelty of Congress voting on savings rather than spending should become a standard operating procedure, and repeated rescission reviews could lead to meaningful change for the American economy.
Overall, Musk hopes to leave behind a legacy of cost-cutting that can lead to meaningful change in the American administration. In a post on his social media website X, he wrote, "The @DOGE mission will only strengthen over time as it becomes a way of life throughout the government." While its impact on both spending and saving may endure, the future of the agency itself remains murky.
Musk had initially been tapped as DOGE co-chair alongside fellow tech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy. The president established the agency via executive order on January 20th, 2025. The latter made his own exit just eight days later. Despite rumors of a contentious transition, Ramaswamy maintained he was simply seeking an alternate pathway to change through federalism rather than budgeting. In his defense, he did announce an Ohio gubernatorial run less than a month later. With Musk gone, it is remotely possible that Ramaswamy will make a triumphant return to the Trump Team, though his position as front-runner for governor may make double duty difficult.
How did you feel about Elon Musk's position with the trump administration? Did dodge function as was intended, and should it continue to exist?
Hilary Gunn is a Connecticut native with a degree in Criminal Justice from the George Washington University. She works for a nonprofit and has previously collaborated with the CT GOP as an activist, political campaign manager and field director, and social media organizer. She is currently serving in her fourth term of municipal office and has previously acted as a delegate on the Republican Town Committee.