Elon Musk, the head of Tesla, has declared his intent to dedicate all his time to his work, reportedly even sleeping in conference, server, and factory rooms. This surprising announcement comes amidst speculation of tensions between Musk and President Donald Trump. Not so long ago, Musk was colloquially referred to as the ‘first buddy’ due to his close associations with the Trump administration and his role in leading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) where he enforced stringent job reductions with the aim to curb government expenditure.
As the leader of DOGE, Musk was subjected to considerable criticism from the public, prompting some to even boycott Tesla. Despite the pushback, Trump remained adamant in his support for Musk throughout this period. However, it now appears the once amicable relationship may be strained, judging by recent events and remarks.
Assertions that Trump had communicated to his cabinet about Musk’s potential resignation from his government position in the upcoming weeks were promptly dismissed by Musk as unfounded. However, his subsequent statements suggest he might be distancing himself from political arenas. In a recent conference held in Qatar, Musk hinted at a significant reduction in his future political spending, having already donated a hefty $300 million to Trump’s presidential campaign.
Musk opined at the conference, ‘Regarding future political contributions, I will be contributing a lot less from now on. I believe I’ve given enough thus far.’ He further added, ‘If I see a justified cause for political spending in the future, I wouldn’t be averse to contributing.’ This conditional response might hint at his uncertain political inclinations and alliances.
The gulf between Musk and Trump appears to be widening, as observed on Trump’s social media platform, Truth Social. The US President, who used to mention Musk in his posts three or four times a week, hasn’t referenced him at all since April, according to analysts. Yet, this isn’t the only evidence hinting at a change in Musk’s position regarding his association with the Trump administration.
Musk appears to be considering dedicating more time to his ventures – X (the company formerly known as Twitter), Tesla, and SpaceX. This possibility dawned after a bug disrupted service for approximately 25,000 X users on a recent weekend. Musk subsequently expressed his intent to dedicate all his working hours and efforts to rectify the problems.
Musk stated, ‘I’ll return to devoting myself to work around the clock and sleeping in office or factory rooms. It’s imperative for me to concentrate fully on X, xAI, and Tesla, especially since we have vital technologies unveiling soon. Major operational upgrades are the need of the hour, as indicated by X’s service disruption this week. The backup system should have been effective, but it unfortunately failed.’
Musk’s multitasking abilities have been a cause for worry among Tesla’s investors. They fear he might be overcommitting across various ventures. In the midst of such concerns, Musk is also overseeing product launches at multiple companies under his leadership.
The trailblazer in electric vehicles, Tesla is currently preparing to pilot robotic taxis in parts of Austin, Texas, starting from June. The initial program will begin with a fleet of 10 autonomous vehicles, but the plan is to scale up quickly to thousands in the coming months.
On the other hand, X, previously Twitter, is positioned to debut X Money in a limited beta version. This bold move will mark the social networking giant’s entry into the financial services realm, including payments and banking, which is a significant diversification from its origins.
Musk’s hectic schedule has been a cause of concern for many. In an interaction with Tesla’s investors back in April, Musk discussed his plans to significantly reduce his work obligations starting from this month.
During the call, Musk shared, ‘From this month, my involvement will scale back noticeably. I intend to spend just one or two days per week focused on governmental matters, as long as it serves a productive purpose.’ With this commitment, it seems Musk is ready to pivot his attention significantly toward his corporate obligations, leaving his governmental responsibilities behind.
In conclusion, these recent developments suggest a complete shift in Musk’s focus from politics back to his companies. Whether these decisions are the result of internal or external pressures, or both, remains to be seen. What is clear, though, is that Musk seems ready to recommit to his technological innovations and back away from the political limelight.