Tesla CEO Elon Musk looks on during a Cabinet meeting at the White House on April 30, 2025 in Washington, DC. Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

Elon Musk, the world’s richest man and now a top adviser to President Trump, recently made a rare appearance before the mainstream media at the White House—a move that drew significant attention, given Musk’s well-known aversion to interviews with outlets he considers “unfriendly.” Typically, Musk prefers the echo chambers of Fox News, conservative podcasts, or direct conversations with his followers on X (formerly Twitter), where he once declared, “You are the media now.”

Stepping Out of the Comfort Zone

However, as The Wall Street Journal prepared to publish a bombshell report alleging that Tesla’s board was seeking to replace him as CEO—a claim both Musk and Tesla vehemently denied—Musk unexpectedly stepped out of his comfort zone. Alongside three senior members of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), Musk sat down with around a dozen reporters from major outlets including The New York Times, The Washington Post, USA Today, Axios, Semafor, Bloomberg, ABC, NBC, Fox News, and even the Associated Press—a notable inclusion, given the White House’s previous efforts to exclude AP from the press pool.

According to a source familiar with the situation, the meeting came together rapidly. Reporters were notified on Wednesday morning that they were invited to interview Musk, with only about an hour to respond. The gathering took place in the Roosevelt Room in the late afternoon and lasted approximately an hour.

Musk: The “Buddha” of DOGE?

In a surprisingly candid and open atmosphere, Musk reflected on his time in Washington, at one point even comparing himself to the Buddha. When asked who would lead DOGE in his absence, Musk replied, “Is Buddha needed for Buddhism? Was it not stronger after he passed away?” He indicated that he intends to step back from his leadership role at DOGE later this month, raising questions about the future of the ambitious cost-cutting initiative.

Stark Numbers and Honest Admissions

Musk admitted that DOGE has yet to reach the $1 trillion in cuts he originally promised, having managed only about $160 billion so far. “It’s going to be really difficult to reach that goal without more support in Washington,” he said. “It’s really a question of how much pain the Cabinet and Congress are willing to take. It can be done, but it requires dealing with a lot of complaints.”

He also acknowledged that, in the process of slashing the federal workforce, some essential employees were “accidentally let go.” DOGE’s aggressive cost-cutting has sparked significant backlash, targeting both Republican leadership and Musk personally.

Personal Moments and Lasting Presence

Musk shared a few lighter moments as well, telling reporters he had stayed in the Lincoln Bedroom “more than once,” and recalling a late-night phone call from President Trump urging him to fetch caramel Häagen-Dazs ice cream from the White House kitchen.

Even as he plans to reduce his time in Washington, Musk said he will keep his office on White House grounds. According to Axios, he joked, “It has a window, but all you see is the HVAC unit, which is fine. It makes it harder to shoot me, I guess.” He also boasted he would still have the largest computer monitor on the premises.

“DOGE is a way of life,” Musk declared, underscoring his commitment to the controversial project—even as he prepares to step back from its day-to-day leadership.