The Bulletin May 30, 2025
The rundown: Last week, Elon Musk said he had "done enough" after spending five months working hand in hand with President Donald Trump as head of the Department of Government Efficiency. Here's what experts have to say.
Why it matters: The tech mogul entered politics last year with the explicit purpose of getting Trump elected for a second term as president, spending more than $75 million in the process. While Musk achieved that goal, experts told Newsweek that his time at the White House would come to be seen as a mixed bag, especially with the big expectations the billionaire had attached to his signature project, DOGE. "Musk succeeded in grabbing attention and rebranding government reform as a Silicon Valley-style disruption," Casey Burgat, the director of legislative affairs at George Washington University, said. "But beyond the optics, DOGE has fallen far short of its promises."
Read more in-depth coverage:
Donald Trump Taking DOGE Lead After Elon Musk Exit
TL/DR: While Musk has steadily increased his political commentary over the past several years, his firsthand involvement in campaigning began during the 2024 presidential election.
What happens now? Musk said in a recent meeting with Tesla investors that he would be spending more time with the company. He said in April, "I think starting probably next month, May, my time allocation to DOGE will drop significantly."
Deeper reading Was Elon Musk's Foray Into Politics a Success? Experts Weigh In
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