Buzz has been circulating for weeks about Elon Musk’s position in political circles, as rumors suggested his departure from his governmental appointment. Now it appears the tech guru and space visionary is transferring his energy back to his commercial interests. The tycoon, famous for his work with Tesla, has announced a heightened commitment to his business ventures, indicating he is leaving his role as head of DOGE – a governmental agency.
In the midst of SpaceX’s much-anticipated Starship launch and with ambitions to catapult both Tesla and project X ahead, Musk finds himself enthralled once more in the industrial sphere. The enterprising executive shared a glimpse into his renewed focus, indicating a reversion to his all-consuming work ethos, characterized by around-the-clock dedication to his companies.
His words, ‘Back to spending 24/7 at work and sleeping in conference/server/factory rooms. I must be super focused on X/AI and Tesla (plus Starship launch next week), as we have critical technologies rolling out,’ illustrate the intensity of his commitment. A redirection of his priorities seems to coincide with the wave of considerable criticism provoked by his political involvement.
His associations with the political arena have not been without reputation complications, as pointed out in a recent podcast. This discussion highlighted Elon Musk’s political affiliations being possibly regarded as ‘brand destruction’. This was largely tied to Tesla’s plunge in public esteem, from being the eighth-most respected marque in 2021 to a dismal 95th in 2025.
Analysts argued that Musk’s political alliances, especially his profound connection with President Donald Trump and his role in the hotly debated DOGE, had led to a significant blow to his standing among customers. Objectors stated, ‘He’s alienated the wrong people. Three-quarters of Republicans would never consider buying an EV (Electronic Vehicle). So, he’s cozied up to the people who aren’t interested in EVs’.
Regardless of the potential stagnation in sales, Musk’s orientation appears to revolve around technological advancement. His participation in DOGE, instigated after the current President took office, drew mixed public responses that included disapproval from dissenting voices. This was a reaction partly due to the revelation of his $200 million donation to the campaign through a super political action committee (PAC).
Under the present circumstances, Musk is purportedly relinquishing his DOGE command to Russell Vought, the mind behind Project 2025. This comes amid whispers of underlying disagreements within the group. Simultaneously, there are legal issues pending in crucial areas where he’s been accused by voters of failing to meet payment obligations related to a petition circulated by his Super PAC.
The media, which closely tracks Musk’s actions, now finds him returning his attention to his original objective. In particular, Project X, a venture commenced in 2022, has been drawing attention, though not always for the right reasons. The platform has unfortunately experienced technical failures and is now believed to be worth significantly less than its purchase cost.
Musk recognized the challenges, acknowledging, ‘As evidenced by the X uptime issues this week, major operational improvements need to be made. The failover redundancy should have worked, but did not.’ Meanwhile, the countdown for the Starship’s big launch is ticking, with lift-off scheduled for the coming week.