U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday offered warm praise for Elon Musk, calling him a “great American” during what could be the Tesla CEO’s final White House cabinet meeting in his unofficial government advisory role. Musk has served as the de facto head of the “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE), a cost-cutting initiative spearheaded by the Trump administration.
“You’re invited to stay as long as you want,” Trump told Musk, acknowledging his contributions but recognizing that the billionaire might want “to get back home to his cars.” Musk, who is the world’s richest person, recently announced plans to step back from his Washington duties to focus on stabilizing Tesla, which has faced mounting challenges.
Tesla has seen increasing backlash from consumers in both the United States and Europe, where Musk’s political involvement and public service cuts have sparked vandalism of Tesla showrooms and calls for boycotts. “They did like to burn my cars, which is not great,” Musk said wryly during the meeting. Trump defended Musk, saying, “You really have sacrificed a lot. They treated you very unfairly.”
The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday that Tesla’s board has begun succession planning and has urged Musk to spend more time on the struggling electric vehicle giant. Citing anonymous sources, the paper said the board had even contacted executive recruitment firms. However, Tesla denied the claims. Chairperson Robyn Denholm dismissed the report in a post on X, calling it “absolutely false” and reaffirming that Musk remains CEO with the board’s full confidence.
David Sacks, a close ally of Musk and fellow Trump advisor, suggested the billionaire is not completely abandoning DOGE but instead transitioning into a less hands-on role. Comparing it to Musk’s 2022 transition at Twitter, Sacks said Musk typically moves into “maintenance mode” once he trusts the team and structure in place.
As Musk re-centers his focus on Tesla amid mounting scrutiny, the transition could mark a turning point not just for his company but also for his controversial political chapter in Washington.
