Vice President Vance said Thursday that billionaire Elon Musk will remain a “friend and an adviser” to the White House after Musk departs from his role as a special government employee next month.
“Of course he is going to continue being an adviser. And by the way, the work of DOGE is not even close to done. The work of Elon is not even close to done,” Vance told “Fox & Friends” co-host Lawrence Jones in an interview.
“DOGE has got a lot of work to do. And yeah, that work is going to continue after Elon leaves,” Vance continued. “But fundamentally, Elon is going to remain a friend and an adviser of both me and the president. And he’s done a lot of good things. People don’t realize how vast and uncontrolled the bureaucracy was. We’ve started to chip away at it, but there’s a lot of work to do. It’s not going to happen all in six months, it’s going to take a long and committed effort.”
A Wednesday report indicated that Elon Musk is preparing to step down from his role as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in the Trump administration. President Donald Trump reportedly informed his inner circle and Cabinet members of Musk’s impending departure, with both parties agreeing that Musk will soon return to focus on his business ventures.
Musk’s tenure at DOGE has been marked by ambitious cost-cutting measures aimed at reducing federal spending by $1 trillion. While many view these efforts as successful, they have also sparked controversy, leading to widespread protests and legal challenges.
The exact timeline for Musk’s departure remains unspecified, but it’s anticipated to coincide with the conclusion of his special government employee status, which has a 130-day limit. Despite stepping back from his official role, Musk is expected to maintain an informal advisory relationship with the administration.
This development comes amid reports of tensions within Trump’s inner circle regarding Musk’s prominent role in the administration. Some aides have expressed concerns about his influence and the potential political implications of his actions.
On Capitol Hill, Musk is increasingly viewed as a political liability by congressional Republicans, despite his alignment with aspects of the Trump’s America First agenda.
While Musk’s efforts to streamline government spending and slash bureaucracy through the Department DOGE have earned him praise from certain fiscal conservatives and right-wing populists, others within the GOP—particularly traditionalists and establishment figures—have expressed concern over his:
-Controversial public statements and social media presence, which have drawn negative attention and created unnecessary distractions.
-Growing political influence, which some fear undermines the White House’s messaging or creates the impression of a tech billionaire running government policy.
-Business entanglements, which raise questions about conflicts of interest as he juggles leadership roles in Tesla, SpaceX, X (formerly Twitter) and Neuralink.
Privately, even some Trump aides have reportedly grown wary of Musk’s visibility and the potential backlash from swing voters or moderate Republicans who view him as polarizing or self-serving.
That said, Musk still commands a loyal following among many conservative voters—especially those aligned with anti-woke, pro-free speech and populist sentiments.
While there is no direct evidence linking the report of Musk’s impending departure from the Trump administration to Tuesday night’s Republican underperformance in Florida’s special congressional elections or the 10-point defeat in the Wisconsin Supreme Court race, the timing is politically notable.
Republicans are beginning to question whether the administration’s focus on high-profile, unconventional figures like Musk has distracted from core electoral priorities. Others point to a broader concern: that the Trump team may be drifting out of sync with key voter blocs, including suburban moderates and independents, particularly in swing states like Wisconsin.
The Florida results, in districts Trump carried comfortably in 2024, and the surprising margin in Wisconsin, suggest potential cracks in turnout strategy or messaging—something Musk’s polarizing profile could exacerbate, at least among voters wary of his influence.
While not officially linked, yesterday’s underwhelming Republican electoral performances may be fueling pressure on the president to recalibrate, and Musk’s exit could be part of that reset.
