Does Elon Musk believe DOGE and Donald Trump are the keys to America's rise

Elon Musk, the billionaire entrepreneur behind Tesla and SpaceX, has never been a stranger to controversy or the public spotlight. But his tenure as a special government employee at the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)—a Trump-era initiative designed to cut waste, fraud, and abuse from the federal government—has propelled him even deeper into the political arena. Musk's collaboration with President Donald Trump during the early months of the 2025 administration marked a new chapter in his career: one that fused technological ambition with political ideology.
Now, as his time with DOGE comes to an end, Musk is reflecting on the decisions, challenges, and polarizing public reactions that defined his tenure. Despite widespread criticism and a shifting public image, Musk remains unapologetic. In a recent interview with Lara Trump, he expressed his continued support for the Trump administration’s goals and a belief that his contributions were vital to America’s advancement.

Elon Musk’s decision to join DOGE under President Donald Trump came as a surprise to many political observers. Known for his past support of Democratic figures—including former President Barack Obama—Musk’s alignment with Trump marked a notable ideological shift.
Appointed shortly after Trump’s victory in the 2024 presidential election, Musk took on the role of spearheading cost-cutting efforts across federal agencies. As the public face of DOGE, Musk focused on streamlining government operations, targeting programs considered inefficient or redundant, and introducing private-sector practices into public administration.

Under Musk’s leadership, DOGE reportedly cut over $160 billion in waste, fraud, and abuse within the first 100 days of the Trump administration. This included:

Despite these moves being framed as essential cost-saving measures, many of them drew significant criticism for undermining social programs and sidelining long-standing federal workers.

The scale and speed of DOGE’s reforms led to widespread protests and even acts of violence. In the Lara Trump interview aired on May 3, 2025, Musk stated, “We have had people shoot up Tesla stores and burn down Tesla cars. I wasn’t expecting that level of violence, really.”
He attributed the aggression not just to policy disagreements but also to what he described as a “relentless propaganda campaign” designed to destroy his public image. Musk further claimed that the backlash proved DOGE’s effectiveness, noting that significant reforms naturally provoke resistance.

When asked whether he regretted his work at DOGE or his public support for Trump, Musk responded unequivocally: “No.” He explained that he believed Trump’s victory was “essential” to maintaining American greatness and preventing what he sees as a slide toward single-party rule.
Musk argued that the Biden administration had been operated by what he called “the most radical-left, crazy administration ever,” going so far as to say, “Whoever controlled the auto pen and teleprompter during the Biden administration was the real president.”
He also raised concerns about election integrity, stating that “if President Trump had not won, the Democrat campaign to import vast numbers of illegal voters would have succeeded,” potentially locking the country into “a one-party state from which we could never escape.”

Elon Musk's alignment with the Trump administration has had a polarizing effect on his public persona. Once hailed as a media darling and admired by progressives for his innovations in clean energy and space exploration, Musk now finds himself the subject of intense scrutiny from critics on both sides of the political spectrum.
His acquisition of X (Twitter) in late 2022, and its subsequent transformation into a platform more tolerant of right-leaning viewpoints, had already begun reshaping his image. His role in DOGE only intensified this transformation.
Musk acknowledged these shifts in perception, stating that character attacks are “somewhat inevitable” when confronting entrenched bureaucracies and powerful interest groups.

Looking ahead, Musk hopes that his time in public service will be remembered not for controversy, but for impact. “That I was useful in the furtherance of civilization,” he told Lara Trump when asked about his desired legacy.
He expressed pride in contributing to what he sees as an acceleration of American technological and administrative progress, adding, “That I helped move civilization forward, added to the store of knowledge and capability — that I helped to understand the universe.”

With Musk’s departure from DOGE, questions remain about the future direction of the department. Will the Trump administration continue Musk’s aggressive cost-cutting strategies? Will a new figure emerge to champion similar reforms? And how will these changes impact the average American?
For now, DOGE continues its mandate under President Trump’s leadership, with the goal of reshaping how the federal government operates. Whether or not these reforms lead to lasting efficiencies or deeper divides remains to be seen.