Elon Musk says don't blame him for everything Trump is doing
The Tesla CEO continues to try to distance himself from the president's policies, but his role in the administration hasn't disappeared completely
In a CBS (PARA) interview Sunday, Elon Musk tried to distance himself from the Trump administration’s controversial second-term agenda.
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“It’s not like I agree with everything the administration does,” Musk said in an interview on “Sunday Morning.” “I mean, I agree with much of what the administration does. But we have differences of opinion.”
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He specifically criticized the Trump administration’s “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” which Musk said could exacerbate the federal deficit by up to $4 trillion over the next decade. He said he thinks a bill “can be big or it can be beautiful, but I don’t know if it can be both.” Musk also voiced opposition to the administration’s trade policies, advocating for lower tariffs to promote economic growth.
“You know, there are things that I don’t entirely agree with,” Musk said. “But it’s difficult for me to bring that up in an interview because then it creates a bone of contention. So then, I’m a little stuck in a bind, where I’m like, well, I don’t wanna, you know, speak up against the administration, but I also don’t wanna take responsibility for everything this administration’s doing.”
Musk was one of the most important — and deep-pocketed — forces behind Trump’s return to power. According to Federal Election Commission filings, Musk’s contributions to Trump’s reelection surpassed $260 million, making him the president’s single biggest donor.
In Trump’s second term, Musk hasn’t just been writing checks. He also took a government role, running the “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE). Musk pitched DOGE as an attempt to modernize and shrink the federal bureaucracy, but the results have been messy.
During Musk’s tenure, DOGE has implemented aggressive cost-cutting measures, including the elimination of foreign aid programs and significant reductions in the federal workforce. These actions sparked public protests and boycotts against Tesla (TSLA). In the interview, Musk claimed DOGE has become “a whipping boy for everything.”
His time leading the department is supposedly up — Musk’s “special government employee” designation curbs the number of days he could work in the administration to 130. But Tesla investors haven’t loved the attention.
During Musk’s time leading DOGE, Tesla experienced a significant decline in profits, reputation, and market share. The company’s profits fell 71% year-over-year in the first quarter, and this downturn led to top shareholders urging the board to require Musk to spend at least 40 hours a week on Tesla business.
Recent reports suggesting Tesla might consider a leadership transition were denied by the company — but one analyst described the potential move to oust Musk as a “warning shot.” Instead, Tesla is said to be negotiating a pay package that would lock Musk in.
Musk has claimed to have scaled back his government involvement, saying he’ll advise DOGE part-time while focusing on his core businesses. Wedbush Securities analysts led by Tesla bull Dan Ives wrote in a Thursday note that Musk’s apparent departure from the administration is “music to the ears of Tesla shareholders with Musk now laser focused on Tesla and the autonomous vision ahead.”
But comments from both Musk and Trump suggest the Tesla CEO isn’t leaving the administration completely. And politically, Musk may be trying to thread a nearly impossible needle: remaining a kingmaker with immense influence — while claiming he’s not responsible for the kingdom.