On the 30th, Trump 'sent off' Musk in the White House presidential office.
According to reports from CCTV News, Reference News, and Xinhua, as Musk's term as a special government employee comes to an end, U.S. President Trump held a farewell event for him in the Oval Office on the 30th. Trump sat behind the desk while Musk stood beside him. Musk stated that he would officially leave the Office of Efficiency but hoped to continue providing advice as a friend and advisor to Trump.
At the event on the 30th, Trump thanked and praised Musk for his performance over the past few months, stating that he provided 'outstanding service' to the U.S. government, greatly changing the outdated ways of doing business in Washington, and noted that some of Musk's staff would continue to remain in the government.
Musk wore all black, with a black baseball cap that had the abbreviation of the Office of Efficiency written on it; his T-shirt read 'Father of the Office of Efficiency.' When Trump listed the contracts cut during his administration, Musk nodded in agreement.
Trump presented him with a golden key symbolizing access to the White House. When discussing his future personal plans, Musk stated that although he was no longer a special government employee, he remained a friend and advisor to Trump.
American entrepreneur Musk: I hope to continue providing advice when the president needs it.
U.S. President Trump: I hope so.
American entrepreneur Musk: Yes, I hope to continue being his friend and advisor, and if the president wants me to do something, I am willing to serve the president.
In addition, on that day, Musk's bruised right eye corner also attracted attention, and he explained that it was a result of 'playing around' with his young son. He said, 'I said, hit my face. And he really did.'
Musk stated that after leaving the Office of Efficiency, he was ready to refocus on running his businesses, including Tesla, SpaceX, and the social platform X.
For a final show of unity
Musk is seen as a close ally of Trump, having invested over $290 million in last year's federal election cycle, significantly contributing to Trump's victory. He led the Office of Efficiency in the new U.S. government, aiming to help Trump drastically reduce federal spending and cut down on federal employees.
However, in the past four months, Musk has had disputes with several cabinet members of the Trump administration, including Secretary of State Rubio and Treasury Secretary Benset. Musk and Benset reportedly had a heated argument in the White House in April. According to sources who overheard the argument, Benset once insulted Musk.
On May 20, Musk publicly stated that he would 'significantly reduce' contributions to political elections.
Recently, Musk and Trump also exposed differences in federal fiscal policy. On the 22nd, the Republican-controlled House of Representatives narrowly passed a large-scale tax and spending bill that Trump called 'big and beautiful' by a one-vote margin. Musk expressed dissatisfaction in an interview with CBS on the 27th. 'Frankly, I am disappointed with this bill, as it not only failed to cut the budget deficit but further expanded it, which goes against the goals the Office of Efficiency is promoting.'
On the 28th, when asked about Musk's criticisms, Trump refused to respond directly, only defending the bill, while also acknowledging that he was not satisfied with every aspect of it. (The New York Times) noted that Trump did 'not mention Musk's name even once' in his response. White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller responded to Musk on social media but did not name him.
Reuters reported that the press conference on the 30th was a venue for Trump and Musk to 'show unity.' The media previously cited insiders stating that on the 28th, the day Musk announced his resignation, he did not have a formal conversation with Trump.
In an interview with CBS on the 27th, Musk stated that the Office of Efficiency had become a 'scapegoat' in Washington. 'No matter where the problem arises, even if it has nothing to do with us, we will be blamed,' he said.
Insiders have revealed that Musk's role as the head of the Office of Efficiency within the Trump administration left him 'exhausted and frustrated,' especially as the related work severely impacted his company Tesla.
The promise to cut $2 trillion in spending has not been 'met.'
Musk initially promised that the work of the Office of Efficiency would save the U.S. at least $2 trillion in federal spending. However, the actual numbers currently fall far short of Musk's previous promises.
According to estimates publicly released by the Office of Efficiency, it has currently saved the U.S. $175 billion in federal spending. According to the U.S. Treasury Department, compared to the same period last year, the Office of Efficiency has cut about $19 billion in federal spending, accounting for only about 0.5% of total spending.
Earlier this month, Musk stated that he had not fully achieved his specific reduction targets for U.S. federal spending. At the press conference on the 30th, he said more time was needed to meet the goal of cutting $1 trillion.
As Musk hurriedly retreats, there are voices questioning his series of requests to the Trump administration aimed at benefiting his business. According to reports from Japan (Sankei News), during Musk's visit to the Middle East with Trump, Musk's SpaceX secured satellite communication service contracts in Saudi Arabia and other locations. The company's involvement in the conceptualization of a missile defense system using new generation technology has also become a widely discussed topic.
Editor: Cheng Peng, Du Bo
Proofread by Lu Xiangyong
Daily Economic Comprehensive from Reference News, Xinhua, CCTV News
