Meeting Before Returning to Tesla
Emphasizes the Role of DOGE
Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, who has led federal government reform efforts under the Donald Trump administration, conducted interviews with mainstream media and organizations before leaving the White House.
According to CNN on May 1 (local time), CEO Musk hastily arranged media interviews after denying a Wall Street Journal (WSJ) report from the previous day that claimed the Tesla board had begun searching for his successor.
On the morning of the previous day, CEO Musk sent interview invitations to select media outlets and met with reporters at the White House that afternoon. Twelve journalists from major U.S. news organizations?including The New York Times (NYT), The Washington Post, USA Today, NBC, and Fox News?attended the interview.
Notably, CEO Musk also invited a reporter from the Associated Press (AP) to the interview, drawing attention. The AP has been barred from covering the White House and is engaged in a legal dispute because it did not comply with President Trump's directive to refer to the Gulf of Mexico as the "American Gulf." Given that CEO Musk has actively avoided interviews with media outlets perceived as unfriendly to him since joining the Trump administration, this move is considered highly unusual. Until now, when media interviews were necessary, CEO Musk typically appeared on Fox News, conservative podcasts, or used his X (formerly Twitter) account.
During this interview, which is likely to be his last as a public official, CEO Musk actively defended the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). When asked about DOGE's future after his departure, CEO Musk responded, "Does Buddhism require Buddha?" and added, "Buddhism flourished even more after Buddha's death." He emphasized, "DOGE is a way of life."
Regarding the failure to achieve the initial goal of saving one trillion dollars in the budget, CEO Musk explained, "The issue is how much pain the administration and Congress are willing to endure," and added, "Implementation is possible, but it requires enduring a lot of complaints." He also acknowledged that, during the reduction of federal employees, some key officials responsible for major duties were mistakenly dismissed.
CEO Musk stated that even after returning to Tesla, he would maintain his office within the White House and that his relationship with President Trump would continue.
Meanwhile, CEO Musk revealed that he had stayed several times in the Lincoln Bedroom on the third floor of the White House, and shared that "President Trump once called me at night and asked me to go to the White House kitchen and bring him caramel-flavored ice cream."
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