Sunday, August 3, 2025

Latest

Musk Talks about DOGE Retreat While Comparing Initiative to ‘Buddhism’ and Himself to Buddha

Tesla (Nasdaq: TSLA) CEO Elon Musk is preparing to scale back his involvement with the Department of Government Efficiency, the controversial cost-cutting initiative he has led for President Donald Trump’s administration since January.

In a TV interview this week, Musk indicated he plans to significantly reduce his commitment to DOGE beginning in May, intending to dedicate just “a day or two per week” to the government effort while refocusing on his struggling electric vehicle company.

Musk compared the troubled agency to Buddhism while facing mounting criticism over its methods and effectiveness. “DOGE is a way of life, like Buddhism,” he told Fox News in a recent interview. 

And then himself to Buddha when asked who would lead the initiative after his departure.

“Is Buddha needed for Buddhism?” he wondered.

Musk announced during Tesla’s April earnings call that he would scale back to spending just “a day or two per week” on DOGE beginning in May, shifting focus to his struggling electric vehicle company after it reported steep drops in sales and revenue.

Read: Tesla Q1 2025: Worst Quarter Since 2020 

The billionaire’s planned exit comes after a contentious 100-day tenure during which he claimed DOGE saved taxpayers $160 billion by eliminating or reducing government contracts, grants, and leases across 176 departments or agencies.

Army leaders, meanwhile, have taken matters into their own hands. “Don’t DOGE us, we will DOGE ourselves,” Army Secretary Dan Driscoll and General Randy George told Musk at a March White House meeting, according to NBC News. The military is now implementing its own cuts independent of Musk’s team.

Read: Musk Reports $150B In Savings, Dwarfed From Promised $1 Trillion DOGE Cut 

Critics paint a far darker picture of the initiative, with New York Times opinion writer Julia Angwin characterizing DOGE as “assembling a sprawling domestic surveillance system” that is “gathering personal data about U.S. residents from dozens of federal databases.” Multiple lawsuits challenging DOGE’s data practices have resulted in court orders limiting its access.

Despite falling far short of Musk’s initial January promise to cut $2 trillion from government spending, DOGE reports show the initiative has targeted the US Agency for International Development most aggressively, with claimed cuts of $24 billion.

President Trump endorsed Musk’s continued part-time involvement with DOGE during a cabinet meeting. “You’ve been treated unfairly, but the vast majority of Americans truly respect and appreciate you,” he said.

Musk’s 130-day appointment as a special government employee is set to expire May 31. He maintains the initiative has been engineered to make its cuts difficult to reverse: “We’re trying to have it be such that the funding is removed so the grants are gone.”

Related: Senate Report: Musk Could Avoid Over $2 Billion in Legal Liabilities Through DOGE Role



Information for this story was found via the sources and companies mentioned. The author has no securities or affiliations related to the organizations discussed. Not a recommendation to buy or sell. Always do additional research and consult a professional before purchasing a security. The author holds no licenses.

Video Articles

AngloGold Buys Another Gold Junior! Augusta Gold Acquired For $197 Million

Another Gold Deal! Aris Mining Sells Assets To McFarlane

Royal Gold Goes Big | $3.5 Billion Sandstorm Acquisition

Recommended

Tsunami Warnings Spread As Largest Quake Since 2011 Hits Russia

Northern Superior Intersects 1.75 g/t Gold Over 65.0 Metres At Philibert

Related News

Tesla: Will Q2 Results Be Enough to Maintain its Premium Valuation?

After the market closed on July 19, Tesla, Inc. (NASDAQ: TSLA) reported good, but not...

Thursday, July 20, 2023, 07:37:00 AM

S&P ESG Index Boots Tesla Over Poor Working Conditions, ‘Lack of Low Carbon Strategy’

It appears that Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) lost its highly prized spot on the S&P 500’s...

Sunday, May 22, 2022, 01:10:00 PM

Tesla’s Elon Musk Picks Fight With Ross Gerber; Blames Fall On The Fed

Tesla’s (Nasdaq: TSLA) fall from grace is resulting in the loss of confidence amongst even...

Thursday, December 22, 2022, 03:28:00 PM

Ford’s Mike Levine Throws Shade At Musk And Tesla’s Full Self-Driving Option

Mike Levine, Ford’s (NYSE: F) Product Communications Director, isn’t shy about calling Tesla out. Tesla...

Thursday, December 1, 2022, 11:59:00 AM

Jeff Bezos Surpasses Musk, Reclaims Position as World’s Richest Person

After Elon Musk recently surpassed Jeff Bezos as the world’s richest person, it appears that...

Saturday, February 20, 2021, 04:01:00 PM