Musk exits Trump administration but claims Doge 'just the beginning'

Tesla chief disrupted numerous government agencies but fell far short of the massive savings he promised

Elon Musk listens as President Donald Trump speaks during a news conference in the Oval Office of the White House on Friday. Picture: AP Photo/Evan Vucci

US president Donald Trump praised billionaire Elon Musk's efforts to cut federal spending during a joint press conference in the Oval Office on Friday, as the Tesla chief departs the administration after a chaotic tenure that saw the elimination of thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in contracts.

Mr Musk, who headed the Department of Government Efficiency (Doge), disrupted numerous agencies across the federal bureaucracy but ultimately fell far short of the massive savings he had initially promised. A White House official said on Wednesday that Mr Musk would be leaving the administration.