Elon Musk Reflects on DOGE Role, Says He Won't Lead It Again. Elon Musk says the Department of Government Efficiency, the DOGE unit created under President Donald Trump, achieved only limited results and he wouldn't return to lead it again. Speaking on a podcast, the Tesla CEO said he should have focused on his companies instead, noting that his political involvement triggered backlash, including vandalism of Tesla cars. Musk, a major donor to Trump and once a key adviser, spent the first months of Trump's second term pushing to shrink federal spending and reduce the government workforce. He said the team managed to block some wasteful programs but admitted the effort fell short overall. His role raised concerns among Tesla investors who feared he was distracted as the company faced slowing sales. Musk and Trump later clashed publicly over the president's tax-and-spending package, though tensions appear to be easing. The DOGE unit has since shut down, claiming tens of billions in savings — figures outside experts couldn't verify due to a lack of public documentation.