The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has a tremendous team. That can’t be argued. They are smart, focused, and work tirelessly. Most of all, they are patriots.
In interviews, the DOGE team members routinely say, when asked why they would put their lives on the line for such vicious attacks, that they want to use their skills to help our country. And, they are!
As good as the team is, there can be no doubt that the genius and doggedness of Elon Musk as the leader is what drove DOGE forward even as he and his company, Tesla, suffered unending attacks and even death threats.
Musk’s ‘job’ status is as a Special Government Employee (SGE). This status is for people who have some special expertise or technical skill that come into the government for a short period of time. The status was created by congress in 1962 so that the federal government could utilize special expertise temporarily.
SGEs can work for the government for no more than 130 days out of a 365-day period, but they can work over multiple years. The positions can be paid or unpaid. Musk has forgone a paycheck for his time at DOGE.
Though Musk’s public profile has been more muted of late, it is unclear what his role will look like after the 130-days.
White House Deputy Press Secretary Harrison Fields told Politico, “No one here at the White House is tired of winning. The president has tasked Elon Musk with eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse in the federal government, a mission that will continue until completed.”
One thing is clear, President Trump likes Musk. They have clearly become friends and are aligned in what needs to happen to reclaim the government for Americans and away from the deep-state bureaucracy.
In April, Musk said during a Tesla board call, “Starting next month, in May, my time allocation to DOGE will drop significantly.” It is not clear when exactly that step back will happen or what Musk’s reduced role at DOGE would look like operationally.
Musk also said on that call that he remained committed to DOGE and playing a leadership role in it supporting Trump’s agenda.
“I’ll have to continue doing it for, I think, probably the remainder of the president’s term, just to make sure that the waste and fraud that we stop does not come roaring back, which will do if it has the chance,” Musk said, adding: “I think I’ll continue to spend a day or two per week on government matters for as long as the president would like me to do so and as long as it is useful.”
Trump said at the White House recently, “We have to, at some point, let him go and do that. We expected to be doing it about this time. I'll talk to Elon about it."
There have been no announcements yet as to Musk’s continuing role or what will happen at 130 days. Is there an alternate title that allows Musk to continue his role? Time will tell. The one thing we know for sure is that Trump trusts Musk’s intellect and loyalty to the American people and Musk will be working with Trump in some capacity.