Elon Musk is looking back on his time in politics with some regret, admitting that his close involvement in President Donald Trump’s administration may have gone further than it should have.
In a new interview released Thursday, the Tesla and SpaceX CEO said he became too deeply involved in Washington after playing a major role in the 2024 election.
In the interview, Musk reflected that his political involvement went further than intended, saying he now realizes he became too caught up in it.
The comments come after Musk spent more than $250 million supporting Donald Trump’s successful presidential campaign before accepting a high-profile role leading the administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), an initiative focused on cutting federal spending and reducing government waste.
According to Musk, the mission was straightforward.
“The goal with the DOGE effort was to do something about the deficit, which is massive,” he said. “We need to take a close look at spending and make sure taxpayer money is being spent wisely instead of being wasted or lost to fraud.”
Musk acknowledged that the effort generated enormous backlash.
“I got a lot of flak from this,” he said.
DOGE quickly became one of the Trump administration’s most controversial initiatives. Supporters viewed it as an overdue effort to eliminate wasteful government spending and shrink the federal bureaucracy, while critics argued the program moved too aggressively as agencies faced staffing reductions and budget cuts.
The department officially ended operations on July 4, although its influence had been fading after Musk stepped away from Washington in May 2025.
Musk’s Split With Trump
After leaving the administration, Musk’s relationship with President Trump deteriorated over the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, a massive spending package championed by the White House.
The billionaire publicly criticized the legislation, arguing it conflicted with the fiscal discipline DOGE had been created to promote.
The disagreement quickly escalated into a very public feud between two of the Republican Party’s most influential figures.
At one point, Musk even floated the idea of launching a third political party, fueling speculation that he was breaking permanently with Trump and the MAGA movement.
The proposal ultimately never gained traction.
Tesla Also Felt The Impact
Musk’s political involvement also created challenges for Tesla.
During his four months serving in the Trump administration, the electric vehicle maker experienced significant stock volatility as investors questioned whether Musk’s attention had shifted away from running his companies.
The political controversy surrounding DOGE also sparked protests and criticism directed at Tesla, placing additional pressure on the company.
Signs The Rift Has Ended
Despite their public dispute, recent events suggest Trump and Musk have largely repaired their relationship.
Musk attended a White House dinner with President Trump last November and later joined the president and other technology executives on a trip to China in May.
Those appearances signaled that the two men had moved beyond their earlier disagreements, even as Musk now says he regrets becoming so heavily involved in politics.
His latest comments provide one of his clearest reflections yet on his time in Washington—acknowledging both his commitment to reducing government spending and the personal and business costs that came with entering the political arena.