Musk says DOGE has made progress but ‘not as effective as I’d like’ after first 100 days

Elon Musk described his first 100 days in Washington as head of the Division of Authorities Effectivity as “very, very intense,” saying he was pleased with his workforce’s work however blaming an “entrenched set of pursuits” for limiting their progress up to now.

Seated on Wednesday on the head of the desk within the Roosevelt Room within the White Home wearing all black, Musk and three of his high DOGE officers, Steve Davis, Antonio Gracias and Anthony Armstrong mentioned their early months in Washington, pressed on claims of fraud, his future workload, DOGE’s shifting objectives and Musk’s relationship with President Donald Trump.

‘Not as efficient as I might like’

Reflecting on his first 100 days, Musk acknowledged that whereas his workforce had made progress, claiming to have saved the American taxpayers $160 billion up to now, “we have not been as efficient as I might like.”

“I feel we have been efficient, not as efficient as I might like, I feel we might be simpler, however we made progress,” he mentioned.

Musk initially mentioned at a marketing campaign rally at Madison Sq. Backyard that DOGE would save the nation “at the least $2 trillion” in federal spending, earlier than later decreasing the objective to $1 trillion. Requested whether or not DOGE might nonetheless attain its said objective of reducing $1 trillion in federal spending, Musk mentioned Wednesday the goal stays “doable” however admitted “it is actually tough” and he’ll want extra assist.

“I feel it is doable to do this, however there’s that. It is a lengthy highway to go and, you realize, this, this, this actually, it is actually tough,” he mentioned. “However our fee of financial savings per day is fairly good. You recognize, we’re like, $1.6 billion a day, 100 days in.”

Musk claimed that if DOGE goes to get to $1 trillion in cuts, it could come all the way down to “how a lot ache is the cupboard and Congress keen to take. It may be finished, but it surely requires coping with a number of complaints.”

Musk criticized the construction of federal budgeting as a default to “spend what you probably did final yr plus 5% indefinitely,” evaluating the problem of reform to “altering the course of a fleet of supertankers.”

“We’re making as a lot progress as we will there’s a number of inertia within the authorities… So, it is like, it is not simple. That is, this can be a option to make a number of enemies and never that many associates.”

Pressed once more, Musk mentioned success was “completely” doable — however contingent on extra political assist.

“Is there a adequate political will in Congress and elsewhere to really try this? It stays to be seen. If we will do it. We’ll, is it? Is it doable to do, sure.”

Musk’s time in Washington — and on the White Home

Musk additionally spoke intimately about his day-to-day life in Washington, together with the place he stays and the way usually he works from the White Home.

“Typically I keep on the White Home,” he mentioned. “Within the Lincoln Bed room,” although he declined to say how usually.

Requested what number of days every week he works from Washington, Musk replied, “It varies,” laughing.

He described the primary three months of DOGE as “very intense,” evaluating the hassle to a startup. “Very intense 100 days,” he mentioned, noting that he had at instances labored seven days every week from the White Home. Now, he mentioned, his presence is much less important.

“We’re moving into extra of a rhythm,” he mentioned, estimating he’ll work one to 2 days per week going ahead. “My guess is I will be in D.C. most likely each different week.”

“If the president’s cupboard has an emergency that they need me to reply to, then I will try this,” Musk mentioned. “However in any other case… I feel it is fairly manageable.”

Requested who would lead DOGE in his absence, Musk deflected with humor: “DOGE is a lifestyle… like Buddhism… you would not ask the query, ‘Who would lead Buddhism.'”

He mentioned he expects DOGE to final Trump’s full time period, although the manager order establishing it presently expires in July 2026. “It’s in the end as much as President Trump,” he mentioned.

Musk spoke warmly about his relationship with Trump, describing him as a “good friend,” and mentioned how he generally finally ends up staying the evening on the White Home or Mar-a-Lago.

“We’ll be on Air Pressure One and Marine One. After which he is like, ‘Hey, you wish to keep over?’ I am like, ‘Positive.’ Then he mentioned this is the Lincoln Bed room. However I did not request it to be clear,” Musk mentioned.

He added that Trump usually presents lodging spontaneously: “We’re actually arriving at Marine One and he is like, ‘The place are you staying tonight?’ I am like, ‘I do not know, in a good friend’s home, I assume?’ After which he is like, ‘You wish to keep right here?'”

Musk recalled one late-night getting a name from the president: “He’ll really name, like, late at evening and say, like, ‘Oh, by the best way, be sure to get some ice cream from the kitchen.'” Musk added: “Then I went and acquired the ice cream from the kitchen, and I ate a complete tub… it is epic.”

“Do not inform RFK,” Musk joked, referring to HHS Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr.

Requested about tensions with different cupboard members, together with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Musk downplayed the friction.

“At instances, there can be some disagreements with the cupboard, however I might say the connection with the cupboard is extraordinarily good,” he mentioned. “And also you see that from the cupboard assembly this morning… the cupboard credited DOGE would make nice progress.”

Fraud investigations

Musk was additionally requested about ongoing investigations tied to fraud allegedly uncovered by DOGE. He mentioned the division had referred a number of circumstances to the Division of Justice.

“Because the saying goes, the wheels of justice flip slowly… however hopefully certainly.”

Gracias, one of many DOGE officers on the desk, mentioned the workforce had refered 57 circumstances of potential voter fraud involving resident aliens, although few specifics of the allegations have been shared.

Musk went additional, claiming DOGE had discovered “a whole lot of 1000’s” of fraud circumstances however was prioritizing which to ship to DOJ for prosecution.

“What number of can the DOJ really prosecute?” Musk requested. “They can not go after that many individuals. So, then we’re looking for the circumstances that appear to be essentially the most honest reduce.”

He mentioned DOGE prepares an “proof file” for every referral, which DOJ opinions — a course of Musk mentioned takes “a number of weeks.”

What’s subsequent?

Musk reiterated his perception that the federal authorities ought to make investments extra closely in fashionable weapons know-how.

“We needs to be spending extra on hypersonic missiles and long-range drones greater than on crude programs,” he mentioned.

Requested whether or not he had shared that view with Secretary of Protection Pete Hegseth, Musk mentioned: “I’ve made that advice so many instances that once I see Secretary Hegseth, he says, ‘hypersonic missiles and long-range drones?'”

“He would not disagree, by the best way,” Musk added.

At one level, Musk appeared to revel within the actuality that “DOGE,” as soon as a meme he shared on his platform X, had really materialized into a significant a part of the federal authorities: “It’s humorous that we have got DOGE. The absurdity of that appeared like, like, are we in a simulation right here? However like, it was a memecoin at one level. How did we get right here? Would not it appear absurd?”

Requested whether or not he would play a task within the 2026 midterms, Musk demurred: “Properly, that is not a query for at this time. In the present day’s query is about DOGE.”

Requested once more whether or not somebody would substitute him at DOGE when he steps again, Musk replied, “Is Buddha wanted for Buddhism?”