To call Musk’s time in Washington contentious is putting it mildly. Used to getting his way and wielding significant power, he charged through the capital like a tornado—cutting budgets, laying off employees, and making bold moves. His brash attitude ruffled feathers among government workers and pushed away potential allies, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. The tension escalated to the point where Musk ended up in a minor physical altercation with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
Politico lays out the shocking aftermath. By late May, both DOGE and Musk had fallen out of favor with President Trump, prompting White House aides to push back harder against the emerging government agency. When Musk received a formal farewell from the White House on May 30, they also let go of his right-hand man, Steve Davis.
Yet Davis, an engineer who had been close to Musk for over two decades, including during their time at DOGE, refused to leave the scene. He stepped in to take charge, but this did not sit well with many remaining DOGE staffers. A split emerged, with some showing loyalty to Davis while others bristled at his leadership, given that he was no longer a government employee.
When those uneasy with Davis’ control attempted to plan DOGE’s future without him, Davis accused them of staging a coup. The White House quickly identified his loyalists, putting an end to Davis’ brief bid for power in less than two weeks.
What followed were a series of restructurings and leadership changes, eventually leading to the disbandment of DOGE as a centralized organization. When Reuters inquired about DOGE’s current status earlier this month, the White House replied, “that doesn’t exist.”
Musk entered Washington with lofty goals of cutting government spending by trillions, but during his short stint, federal expenditures actually increased, leaving behind a trail of broken relationships.
