And President Trump admitted as much during the press conference. “Many of the DOGE people, Elon, are staying behind too, so they’re not leaving,” Trump said. “And Elon’s really not leaving. He’s going to be back and forth.

Elon Musk ensured he will remain “a friend and an advisor” to the Trump administration as he announced the end of his time as a special government employee, during which Musk oversaw DOGE’s sweeping cuts to the federal workforce as part of efforts to slash US federal spending.