Tesla and SpaceX founder Elon Musk appeared on December 9 on a podcast hosted by Katie Miller, a former spokesperson for DOGE and wife of Stephen Miller, Deputy Chief of Staff to President Donald Trump.

"Instead of joining the Government Performance Board (DOGE), I should have been working at my companies. They wouldn't have burned those cars," Elon Musk stated, referencing the Tesla car vandalism incidents during his tenure at DOGE.

The American billionaire affirmed that if given the choice again, he would not join DOGE. However, he acknowledged DOGE's limited success in halting funding for several wasteful projects.

Elon Musk wearing a DOGE shirt on the White House grounds on March 9. Photo: AP

DOGE was established in January following Donald Trump's inauguration, aiming to streamline government operations and reduce the federal budget. Musk initially led the board, serving as a special government employee.

Musk later departed DOGE a few days before his 130-day term as a special government employee expired, citing conflicts with the US President over a "big, beautiful act" (OBBBA).

After a brief operational period, DOGE announced on its website that it had helped the administration cut 214 billion USD in unnecessary spending. However, many financial experts consider this figure difficult to verify, as DOGE did not provide public financial reports on its specific activities.

Ngoc Anh (According to AFP)