Elon Musk’s first 100 days in the White House were filled with twists and turns as the world’s richest person became one of the most influential and contentious figures in Washington in a matter of weeks.
The tech billionaire wasted no time jumping into the political fray upon President Trump’s return to the White House, moving at breakneck speed to carry out the president’s government cost-cutting initiative, dubbed the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
As DOGE’s work dominated the news and Musk appeared alongside the president nearly every day, he faced mounting scrutiny from the public and even some within Trump’s circle over his increasing influence as a nongovernment employee.
After nearly three months of repeated backlash against Musk and his companies, political strategists say his omnipresence is fading as the dust settles.
“That influence has been reigned in a little bit, whether that is his choice or the White House’s choice, I don’t know but I would guess the White House has put their thumb on the scale a little bit when it comes to Elon,” GOP strategist Brittany Martinez told The Hill.
DOGE’s chainsaw
The first few weeks of DOGE were marked by chaos and confusion as Musk and his low-profile team imposed mass layoffs and program spending cuts across federal agencies to reduce the federal workforce.
“Musk hit the ground running with a vengeance and just went after everything,” said Paul Levinson, a professor of communications and media studies at Fordham University
Shortly into Trump’s second term, Musk appeared in February at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) wielding a chainsaw, which would become a symbol of DOGE.
Musk admitted Wednesday the first few weeks of DOGE were “intense,” adding he spent almost seven days a week at the White House.
The “move fast and break things” approach mirrored Musk’s leadership in Silicon Valley and his technology companies, where the billionaire and a group of loyal deputies slashed employees and programs he deemed unnecessary.
At its inception, DOGE was largely supported by Republican lawmakers, who remain thankful Musk brought a spotlight on government reduction, even as some have frustrations over his approach.
“He has brought incredible energy and creativity to ferreting out waste, fraud and abuse, and I’m very grateful that he’s spent the time and energy to do so,” Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) told The Hill.
GOP strategists acknowledged the effort is nothing new to the party and will likely last past Musk’s time in the White House.
“The project on the right to rein in spending, to cut government, to make it more efficient, has been a decades long project, and it’s not like we weren’t trying that whole time,” said Republican strategist Chris Johnson. “I think Elon came in assuming … I don’t know if he thought it was fake, or we weren’t trying hard enough.”
DOGE set out in January to make up to $2 trillion in cuts to federal spending, though the actual number of cuts ended up being far lower after 100 days.
Trump said Wednesday DOGE found $150 million in potential cuts to the federal budget, noting he thinks “things being worked on” could double or triple that number.
“One of the main lessons is if one of the smartest people on Earth is stymied by different systems and institutions and regulations, that’s probably a sign that this is going to be a long project that’s going to be going on much longer than Elon,” Johnson added.
While the long-term effects of DOGE remain to be seen, the program and staffing cuts are already impacting agencies. The DOGE cuts, for instance, slashed funding for the 9/11 first responder survivors’ health program, but was restored by the White House amid criticism.
From environmental advocates to public health researchers, the cuts also sparked fears of “brain drain” among staffers, along with a loss of institutional knowledge from longtime employees.
Trump shifts tone on Musk
The DOGE team’s infiltration of federal agencies ruffled feathers within the Trump administration, too, forcing the president to answer tough questions about how much power Musk holds.
At a Cabinet meeting in early March, Trump shifted his tone and stressed his secretaries are the lead on staffing choices. He insisted the cuts be made with a “scalpel” instead of a “hatchet.”
Although the president dismissed rumors of infighting between Musk and other White House deputies, the comments marked the first time Trump publicly made clear the tech billionaire’s power was limited.
“Musk’s much more of a team player,” Johnson said when asked about the White House dynamics. “He's proven himself to be loyal to the GOP, not just to Trump.”
“When he came in, there was this, ‘What is this guy doing? What's his angle?’ And ultimately, for a lot of people, they’ve kind of come to the conclusion that he doesn't really have an angle,” Johnson added. “He just wants Republicans to win because he thinks it's good for America.”
Since then, Musk’s ubiquitousness both online and in Washington somewhat declined, strategists said. This included a scaling back of public sparring with Trump world figures like former White House strategist Steven Bannon.
Musk “has taken a less combative approach towards folks who disagree with him, and that’s abundantly clear.”
Still, Democrats are not backing down on their criticism, sending inquiries nearly every week over his conflicts of interest and DOGE’s access to sensitive data housed in federal agencies.
Backlash spills into Musk’s businesses
The initial shock and awe of DOGE’s moves began to subside in March, though the public backlash was just beginning against the Trump administration and Musk.
Dozens of protests popped up across the country, often taking place at Musk-owned Tesla showrooms or charging stations. The protests were largely peaceful, though some became violent with Molotov cocktails or shots fired at showrooms.
Tesla’s stock plummeted more than 50 percent since the beginning of the year, while the company reported a 71 percent drop in earnings for the first quarter of this year.
Amid the mounting scrutiny, Musk attempted to improve the image of DOGE while still standing by the group’s goals. He acknowledged in late March he is being cautious and compassionate with the government overhaul efforts.
“It’s like 60 percent fun, 70 percent fun. Depends on the week,” Musk said on Wednesday. “I mean, being attacked relentlessly is not super fun. So, you know, seeing cars burning is not fun. But, when I feel like we’re doing good for the American taxpayer and stopping wasteful spending and fixing computer systems, I feel like that’s a good thing.”
Former Rep. Carlos Curbelo (R-Fla.) suggested last month Musk has been on “a rehab tour” for DOGE, which now appears to be his approach at his struggling electric vehicle manufacturer.
The Wall Street Journal reported this week Tesla board members launched a new search for a CEO to succeed Musk.
Robyn Denholm, the chair of Tesla, denied this report, stating the board is “highly confident” in Musk’s ability to continue his role. Musk called the report a “deliberately false article.”
Musk tried to assure concerned Tesla investors last week that he plans to limit his time on DOGE to one or two days a week since the foundation of DOGE is complete. He reiterated this to reporters on Wednesday but said it would be the president’s “discretion” if that setup will also eventually end.
“Elon Musk’s role was going to evolve as the world’s richest man,” GOP strategist and Trump campaign alum Brian Seitchik said. “He owns a series of very important and high-profile businesses, so there’s always going to be a shelf life to how much time he could commit to Washington.”
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