Donald Trump saw Elon Musk off from the White House on Friday, as the Tesla chief concluded his more than four months leading the so-called department of government efficiency’s disruptive foray into federal departments that achieved far fewer cost savings than expected.

“The Doge team will only grow stronger over time. The Doge influence will only grow stronger. I liken it to a sort of person of Buddhism – it’s like a way of life,” he said. Trump was effusive in his praise of the world’s richest man, saying Musk “delivered a colossal change in the old ways of doing business in Washington” and calling Doge “the most sweeping and consequential government reform program in generations”.

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  “He willingly accepted the outrageous abuse and slander and lies and attacks, because he does love our country. I know that very much,” Trump said.

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  campaigning for Trump last year. In the Oval Office, Musk wore a black cap and suit jacket over a T-shirt, while also sporting a bruise around his right eye he said was caused by his young son punching him while they were “horsing around”.

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  la chief concluded his more than four months leading the so-called department of government efficiency’s disruptive foray into federal departments that achieved far fewer cost savings than

sident signed hours after being sworn in. Its staffers, many who are young and have ties to Musk but little to no govern

An initial goal to cut $2tn in government spending became $1tn by the time Trump was sworn in – nonetheless a hefty sum that the president characterized as a necessary component of his promised “golden age” of lower taxes, leaner government and stricter immigration enforcement. Labor unions and Democrats protested against Doge’s mass firings and warned that its unorthodox efforts to coax federal workers out of their jobs and gather information about their work would undermine government operations. The initiative made its presence known via emails that became infamous, such as the “fork in the road” deferred resignation offerings, or a short-lived demand that staff across departments submit a detailed list of their accomplishments. Doge had a hand in the firings of thousands of probationary workers and the dismantling of US Agency for International Development (USAID), both actions sparking court challenges. As the initiative picked up steam in February, Musk appeared at a prominent conservative conference wielding a chainsaw that he declared “is for bureaucracy!”

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“We do expect to achieve over time the trillion dollars of savings,” Musk said in the Oval Office. “Say, by the middle of next year, with the support of the president and Congress, could we achieve a trillion dollars of savings? I think so. We’re on track to do so.” “We do expect to achieve over time the trillion dollars of savings,” Musk said in the Oval Office. “Say, by the middle of next year, with the support of the president and Congress, could we achieve a trillion dollars of savings? I think so. We’re on track to do so.”

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“We do expect to achieve over time the trillion dollars of savings,” Musk said in the Oval Office.

Labor unions and Democrats protested against Doge’s mass firings and warned that its unorthodox efforts to coax federal workers out of their jobs and gather information about their work would undermine government operations. The initiative made its presence known via emails that became infamous, such as the “fork in the road” deferred resignation offerings, or a short-lived demand that staff across departments submit a detailed list of their accomplishments. Doge had a hand in the firings of thousands of probationary workers and the dismantling of US Agency for International Development (USAID), both actions sparking court challenges. As the initiative picked up steam in February, Musk appeared at a prominent conservative conference wielding a chainsaw that he declared “is for bureaucracy!”