Donald Trump and Elon Musk held a final press conference in the Oval Office to mark the official end of Musk’s role as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
Despite Musk stepping down, DOGE — the cost-cutting initiative launched by Trump in 2024 and led by Musk — is set to officially end in July 2026, though both parties emphasized their partnership will continue.
“He’s not really leaving,” Trump said. “This was his baby.” Musk confirmed he will continue to advise the president informally.
Created by executive order, DOGE was tasked with identifying and reducing waste across the federal government. It claims to have saved $175 billion so far, with Musk citing a long-term target of $1 trillion. The initiative has faced criticism over transparency and the effect of cuts on public-sector employment and foreign aid.
Trump presented Musk with a gold key in a wooden case during the event and called him “the greatest businessman the world has ever produced.” Musk wore a DOGE-branded cap and a “Dogefather” T-shirt. He said the work had been “hard,” but meaningful, and added, “I’m still at the President’s service.”
Trump also took the opportunity to clarify that the decision to freeze federal funds for Harvard was made by the White House, not DOGE. The administration plans to redirect $5 billion from that freeze to expand vocational and trade schools.
Asked about tariff relief for Tesla, Trump said that would depend on how many vehicles the company manufactures in the U.S.
Musk, who had a visible black eye, said he got it while playing with his young son and declined to comment further on questions about drug use allegations.
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Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 3rd of February, covering the latest developments you need to know.
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Elon Musk’s rocket company SpaceX has acquired his artificial intelligence firm xAI, as the billionaire moves to bring more of his technology businesses under one structure.
Ukraine’s negotiating team is heading to the United Arab Emirates for a second round of trilateral peace talks with Russia and the U.S., President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said late Monday.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday that the United States has begun negotiations with European leaders over Greenland and that an agreement is already taking shape.
The United States accused Cuba of interfering with the work of its top diplomat in Havana on Sunday (1 February) after small groups of Cubans jeered at him during meetings with residents and church representatives.
Dmitry Medvedev, said European countries have failed to defeat Russia in Ukraine and have instead inflicted serious economic damage on themselves, as he criticised EU policy, praised Donald Trump as a leader who seeks peace, and said Russia would “soon” achieve military victory in the war.
Heavy snow continued to batter northern and western Japan on Saturday (31 January) leaving cities buried under record levels of snowfall and prompting warnings from authorities. Aomori city in northern Japan recorded 167 centimetres of snow by Friday - the highest January total since 1945.
A daylight robbery at a jewellery shop in Richmond, one of London’s most affluent and traditionally quiet districts, has heightened security concerns among residents and local businesses.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 3rd of February, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Russian forces have resumed attacks on Ukraine's capital Kyiv, as well as its second largest city Kharkiv and other cities early on Tuesday (3 February), officials said, triggering fires and dealing new blows to energy infrastructure.
China and Uruguay should should work together to advance an "equal and orderly multipolar world", President Xi Jinping told his counterpart Yamandu Orsi on Tuesday (3 February).
India says it's going to stop buying Russian oil and lower trade barriers after U.S. President Donald Trump announced a trade deal with India on Monday (2 February) that cuts American tariffs on Indian goods to 18% from 50%.
Ukraine is creating a white list for Starlink terminals to ensure only verified devices stay active, after officials warned that Russian forces were attempting to use the network during the Ukraine conflict.
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