Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, stated in an interview with The Economist that he became overly involved in politics during his time leading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Musk acknowledged, "I think I got a little too involved in politics, got carried away, frankly," during the interview published on July 24, 2026.
After Donald Trump won the 2024 presidential election, Musk was appointed to co-lead DOGE, which aimed to address the federal deficit through significant budget cuts. Musk faced criticism for the aggressive downsizing efforts, which he referred to as a "chainsaw approach." Protests and legal actions arose in response to the layoffs and cuts to various federal programs, including those related to health and safety.
In the interview, Musk dismissed reports linking the cuts to increased terrorism and child mortality rates in sub-Saharan Africa as "false." He described the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) as a political organization. Musk concluded his term at DOGE in May 2025 after disagreements with Trump over tax and spending legislation but mentioned that he has since reconciled with the former president.