Trump says Musk 'really not leaving' as tech billionaire departs administration

By Merve Aydogan

HAMILTON, Canada (AA) - US President Donald Trump on Friday praised Elon Musk as the billionaire entrepreneur prepares to formally exit his short-term government role, saying the X owner will remain deeply involved in the administration's works.

Trump told reporters in the Oval Office that "many of the DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency) people" are staying, and that "Elon's really not leaving. He's going to be back and forth."

"But Elon’s service to America has been without comparison in modern history," Trump said, adding that Musk is "already running one of the most innovative car companies in the world."

Musk, who also spoke at the news conference, emphasized that his role was always designed to be temporary.

"This is not the end of DOGE, but really the beginning," Musk said, adding that "my time as a special government employee necessarily had to end. It was a limited time thing. It's 134 days, I believe, which ends in a few days."

He said the "DOGE team will only grow stronger over time. The DOGE influence will only grow stronger."

Musk claimed his team's work "is permeating throughout the government," predicting up to "a trillion dollars of savings and reduction in a trillion dollars of waste and fraud reduction."

DOGE's internal estimates currently place total potential savings at $175 billion, down from Musk's original $2 trillion projection.