Federal workers have mixed emotions on Musk's rumored DOGE exit: 'So much damage has already been done'
Samuel Corum/Getty Images
- Rumors swirled Wednesday that Elon Musk may leave his role at the White House DOGE Office.
- After Politico's report, BI heard from 16 federal workers about what his departure would mean.
- The Trump administration and Musk both denied his exit on X, and workers say it doesn't make a difference anyway.
Even if Elon Musk is eyeing the exit, federal workers say the anxiety and financial chaos DOGE caused will stick with them long after his tenure ends.
After Politico reported that the world's richest man might be leaving his post as the de facto leader of the White House DOGE Office soon, Business Insider spoke with 16 current and recently fired federal employees who are left wondering what it means for the future of their agencies — while most are crystal clear about their distaste for Musk himself.
"Obviously, my reaction is good riddance," an employee at the Office of Personnel Management said. Employees requested anonymity for fear of retaliation or because they were not authorized to speak, and BI has verified their identities.
Musk has been a vocal advocate of firing federal employees and slashing government budgets. Some federal workers who voted for Trump previously told BI that they support efforts to make the government more efficient but feel "betrayed" by widespread job cuts and upset by Musk's role.
The White House has denied that Musk plans to step back from the cost-cutting effort, directing BI to a post on X by Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt: "Elon will depart from public service as a special government employee when his incredible work at DOGE is complete." No timeline was given. Representatives for DOGE did not respond to a request for comment from BI, and Musk said on X, "Yeah, fake news."
As a special government employee, Musk is only legally allowed to work for the government for at most 130 days a year. Most employees BI spoke to doubted that a quicker departure would make much of a difference.
Five current and former employees told BI that they think Musk will still influence the DOGE office's operations, even if he technically gives up his government role. As one put it, he'll still "pull the puppet strings — whether inside the White House or out of it."
Others said they didn't see much daylight between Musk and his allies, like Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought and young DOGE office staffers.
"I'm assuming he's getting out sooner because this has cost him and his businesses far more than he anticipated, for which I am glad. I hope he never fully recovers," a NOAA employee said.
The Politico report comes as Tesla stock has fluctuated amid Musk's growing power in the West Wing. The company's reported first-quarter deliveries were well below analysts' estimates, and shares are down roughly 30% this year. Even as the president has championed Tesla on the White House lawn, owners of the vehicles have been putting them up for sale in droves. Just yesterday, a conservative judge lost a key election in Wisconsin — despite getting more than $12 million from Musk's PAC.
At a town hall on Sunday, Musk said that his role in the Trump administration is "costing me a lot." Meanwhile, some federal employees are skeptical he'd leave his government influence behind.
"Maybe on paper, they'll say someone else is in charge, but in reality, it will still be Musk," an IRS employee said. An employee at NASA predicted that Musk would simply use X to "pressure anyone not doing what he wants."
Eight employees said they hoped the news was true. Yet many of those who welcomed Musk's departure also said that DOGE has already made a significant, enduring mark on the federal government.
After so many firings, an employee at the Institute of Museum and Library Services said Musk's departure "would be a hopeful sign to keep the federal workforce afloat, but so much damage has already been done. We need more people to proactively help us rather than just wait around for him to leave."
Noah Sheidlower and Ayelet Sheffey contributed reporting.
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