Elon Musk on leaving DOGE: 'Is Buddha needed for Buddhism?'

The world's richest man and DOGE chief Elon Musk compared himself and Buddha. Speaking with reporters at the White House on the 100th day of Trump’s presidency, Musk was asked what would happen to the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) after he steps away from his role.

"Is Buddha needed for Buddhism?" Musk replied, according to the Washington Post. "Was it not stronger after he passed away?" he added.

"DOGE is kind of a way of life we make converts all the time," he added.

Musk’s official role as a special government employee will end on May 30. He said he’s still open to helping DOGE on a part-time basis.

"I’m willing to contribute on average, one to two days a week, which, you know, probably means coming to DC every other week for three days, type of thing. As indefinitely, as long as the president wants me to do it," Musk said.

He said that his future involvement will depend on the president’s wishes. "Obviously, if the president or the cabinet has an emergency that they want me to respond to, then I’ll do that. But otherwise, it’s just, I think it’s pretty manageable with one to two days on average."

DOGE WILL KEEP GOING, MUSK INSISTS

Despite taking a break, Musk stated DOGE will continue to be active. There are approximately 100 employees remaining in the department, which specialises in reducing government expenses.

"Everybody’s not leaving," he said. "No, some will stay on, some will not. So, it’s up to them. This is basically a volunteer organisation."

Musk's made his remarks on the same day as The Wall Street Journal reported Tesla's board was considering ousting him, partly due to the amount of time he was devoting to government work.

His official tenure expires May 30, but his presence on DOGE may persist far longer.

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