President Donald Trump offered a public show of support for Tesla CEO Elon Musk during a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, extending an open invitation for Musk to continue working within the administration for as long as he chooses, despite growing speculation that Musk may soon step back from his role in the federal government.
The remarks came as Musk begins signaling a return to his corporate responsibilities, particularly at Tesla, following a sharp financial downturn for the electric vehicle manufacturer.
At the meeting, Trump praised Musk’s work leading the Department of Government Efficiency, known as DOGE, and noted the billionaire’s potential departure with admiration and a bit of humor.
“We just want to thank you very much. And, you know, you’re invited to stay as long as you want. At some point, he wants to get back home to his cars,” Trump said, eliciting applause from members of his Cabinet.
Musk has served in a unique capacity during the early months of Trump’s second term, holding a special advisory role under DOGE, where he was tasked with identifying inefficiencies in federal spending and operations.
While the position was never formalized through Senate confirmation, Musk’s influence within the administration has been significant, helping shape cost-cutting strategies and modernization initiatives across a range of federal agencies.
His government appointment, granted special status under presidential authority, is currently set to expire at the end of May. In recent weeks, Musk has indicated that his time with the administration is coming to a close.
During a call with Tesla investors last week, he told shareholders that he intended to shift focus back to his businesses after the company reported a 71 percent decline in first-quarter earnings.
With Tesla facing challenges on multiple fronts—including supply chain issues, labor disputes, and mounting public protests—Musk has acknowledged that his presence is increasingly needed at the company he co-founded. Still, he used Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting as an opportunity to thank administration officials and reflect on his time in Washington.
“Great to work with you,” Musk said on Wednesday. His brief remarks followed Trump’s praise and reflected a tone of gratitude.
Musk arrived at the meeting wearing a pair of signature red baseball caps—one emblazoned with the phrase “Gulf of America,” the other with the DOGE insignia. When it came time for him to speak, he leaned into the moment.
“They say I wear a lot of hats,” he quipped, drawing laughs from around the table.
The president, seizing on the lighthearted moment, turned attention back to Musk’s accomplishments during his government service. Trump said that under Musk’s leadership, DOGE had identified $150 million in potential spending cuts, adding that ongoing initiatives could double or even triple that number.
Musk, in his original remarks earlier this year, had claimed that the “best-case outcome” for DOGE would be reducing federal spending by as much as $2 trillion over time.
That ambitious figure was met with both admiration and skepticism, but Trump has continued to champion the goal, framing it as part of his broader effort to shrink the size of government and reduce what he frequently describes as bureaucratic waste.
Yet Musk’s public image has become increasingly polarizing during his time in Washington. While he has maintained a loyal following among Trump’s base and a segment of the tech world, national polling indicates that his approval among the general public has slipped.
A survey conducted earlier this month found that 57 percent of respondents disapproved either “somewhat” or “strongly” of Musk’s performance in the administration.
Trump, however, dismissed the criticism and defended Musk’s role, describing him as a talented and misunderstood figure.
“You have been treated unfairly but the vast majority of people in this country really respect and appreciate you,” Trump said at the Cabinet meeting.
The show of support comes as Musk faces a wave of pressure not just from within the business world, but from activist groups and political opponents as well.
Tesla facilities across several states have become the target of vandalism and protests in recent weeks, as demonstrators have accused the company of labor violations, environmental damage, and collaboration with controversial federal policies.
Trump administration officials have responded aggressively to these incidents. Attorney General Pam Bondi has labeled attacks on Tesla property as acts of “domestic terrorism,” and the FBI has reportedly formed a special task force to investigate threats and acts of sabotage directed at the company.
Despite the turmoil, Musk remains a central figure in Trump’s vision for a reengineered federal government. As head of DOGE, Musk spearheaded a number of initiatives aimed at digitizing government records, consolidating federal procurement processes, and streamlining grant approval systems.
While some of these programs remain in early stages, administration officials have credited Musk with pushing agencies to operate more like tech companies—data-driven, automated, and efficiency-focused.
Still, questions remain about the sustainability of Musk’s role and the ethics of his dual presence in both government and business. Critics have argued that his participation in government decision-making while continuing to lead Tesla and other companies poses a conflict of interest.
While Musk has denied that any such conflict exists, watchdog groups have continued to call for increased transparency around his work in Washington.
Trump, for his part, has shown little concern over the criticism. In previous public comments, the president has praised Musk for his entrepreneurial mindset and willingness to “get things done.”
He has compared Musk favorably to traditional bureaucrats and claimed that bringing outsiders into government is a feature, not a bug, of his administration’s approach.
The potential end of Musk’s formal role in the administration could prompt a new round of speculation about his future political ambitions. While Musk has previously denied any interest in running for office, some of his supporters have floated the idea of him taking on a more prominent role in shaping policy, particularly in the realms of energy, transportation, and technology infrastructure.
For now, however, Musk appears focused on getting Tesla back on track. With the company’s stock under pressure, investor confidence shaken, and new electric vehicle competition emerging globally, Musk has his hands full.
In recent days, he has posted on social media about spending more time at Tesla’s Austin, Texas headquarters and reviewing upcoming product releases.
As for the White House, it remains unclear whether a new head for DOGE will be appointed once Musk departs. Several tech figures reportedly considered for future advisory roles have declined to comment, and no formal announcement has been made regarding a successor.
Meanwhile, the president continues to present Musk’s time in government as a success story—an example of what can happen when business minds are brought into the public sector.
“This is what it looks like when we take a different approach,” Trump said during the Cabinet meeting. “Not everybody likes it. But it works.”
Whether or not Musk accepts Trump’s invitation to stay on beyond May, his presence has already left a mark on the administration’s style and priorities. As he prepares to turn his attention back to Tesla, his role in shaping the government’s cost-cutting efforts—and the reaction it has sparked—will likely remain part of the political conversation for months to come.
