Elon Musk has announced plans to significantly reduce his day-to-day involvement with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), the Trump-era initiative credited with slashing waste and streamlining federal operations. Beginning in May, Musk will shift more of his attention back to Tesla while remaining a strategic advisor to DOGE.
According to sources close to the decision, Musk will scale his DOGE work down to one or two days per week as needed, after spending the better part of the past year working with the White House on government reform initiatives. The move comes amid mounting pressure to stabilize Tesla’s financial performance following a difficult quarter.
BREAKING: Musk says he’ll be cutting down time at DOGE starting in May to dedicate more time to Tesla but will spend a couple of days at DOGE a week for Trump’s entire presidency.
“The large amount of work necessary to get the DOGE team in place… is mostly done.”
“Starting… pic.twitter.com/S6cy9kUB5m
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) April 22, 2025
Tesla recently reported a 71% drop in profits alongside a 9% year-over-year revenue decline. While Musk has dismissed the idea that his involvement with DOGE negatively impacted Tesla, Wall Street analysts and corporate media outlets have tried to draw a connection between his political activism and market volatility.
But insiders say Musk is simply reprioritizing at a time when Tesla is preparing for the rollout of its long-awaited Robotaxi service and a new, more affordable EV model set for release in early 2025. With major product launches on the horizon, Musk believes his presence is needed more urgently at Tesla’s headquarters.
Still, Musk isn’t walking away from the Department of Government Efficiency entirely. Under his leadership, DOGE spearheaded efforts to eliminate bloated bureaucracies, cut federal redundancies, and save taxpayers an estimated $2 trillion over the next decade. His role as Chief Innovation Advisor to the department has helped reshape how Washington approaches everything from procurement to payroll.
Despite criticism from career bureaucrats and progressive activists, Musk’s impact on DOGE is undeniable. The agency has become a symbol of what’s possible when private-sector innovation meets public-sector reform—and Musk’s continued involvement, even on a reduced schedule, ensures that the momentum won’t be lost.
A senior administration official said Musk’s contributions were “historic” and noted that the groundwork he helped lay will continue to pay dividends for years to come.
“Just because Elon is stepping back from daily operations doesn’t mean DOGE is slowing down,” the official said. “We’re entering phase two of reform, and Elon remains a key figure in that transformation.”
Investors appear to agree. Tesla’s stock jumped 5% after the announcement of Musk’s renewed focus on company operations, signaling confidence in both his leadership and the strategic direction of the company moving forward.
For Musk, the shift represents more of a rebalancing than a retreat. He remains committed to DOGE’s mission and the America First economic vision that inspired it. But with major Tesla milestones on the horizon, Musk is once again proving he can pivot when necessary—and deliver where it counts.