President Donald Trump has chosen a longtime ally to lead the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), as the agency prepares for the departure of its original head. Elon Musk, who has worked closely with Trump since the launch of DOGE in the early days of the administration, has announced his intention to step down from his federal role and return full-time to Tesla. The electric vehicle company he founded has faced mounting protests and boycotts in response to his aggressive cost-cutting strategies.
Leadership of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) will transition to Russ Vought, director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, who is set to continue the work begun by Musk—negotiating spending cuts with Congress, reclassifying federal employees, and advancing Trump’s proposed 2025 budget.
Vought has already faced criticism from national security hawks in both the House and Senate for pushing to fund military appropriations through budget reconciliation rather than the traditional annual budget process. His proposal to keep defense spending essentially flat across all branches has further fueled tensions on Capitol Hill. His offer of $892.6 billion puts the new DOGE director at odds with U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and other senior Republicans, who have advocated for increased funding. This information comes from lawmakers and congressional aides who spoke with the Wall Street Journal.
During a Cabinet meeting last month, Trump told advisors and reporters that Musk was “invited to stay as long as you want—at some point he wants to get back home to his cars.” During an earnings call around that same period, Elon Musk pointed to boycotts by left-wing activists as a significant threat to Tesla’s future. The company’s stock had plummeted more than 70% since Musk took on a role in the Trump administration as a special government employee. They “will try to attack me and the DOGE team and anything associated with me,” he said.
Vought’s debut as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) comes as House Republicans push to reduce federal spending to help finance the sweeping tax cuts sought by President Trump. On Sunday, GOP lawmakers unveiled a budget proposal that would cut federal spending by $912 billion, though it falls short of the more aggressive Medicaid reductions previously under discussion.
