US President Donald Trump and Elon Musk addressed the media on Friday on the “terrific” South African-born billionaire’s last day at the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).Musk, who has served as the head of the DOGE since the start of Trump’s second term in January, has stepped down from his role in Washington.In the press conference, US President Trump hailed Musk and said, “My friend has done a fantastic job.”Here are key quotes from the press conference:The presser kicked off with President Trump praising Musk, saying he had done an “excellent job.”Trump then remarked, “Our government can be a bit unpleasant sometimes,” to which Musk replied, “Yes, occasionally.”“Today its about a man named Elon, one of the greatest innovaters the world has ever produced. He has worked tirelessly leading the most sweeping and consequential government reform programme in generations,” Trump said while addressing the media.Trump said Elon Musk and his team at the DOGE have discovered “things that are unbelievably stupid and unbelievably bad.”At the press conference, the US president said Musk has made a “colossal change” in how things are being done in Washington. “The mindset in the senior ranks in every federal department has really changed,” Trump said.Musk signs outElon Musk’s short but explosive tenure in Washington came to an end on Friday. Musk departs after just four months at the helm of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a unit created to slash federal waste but which has since drawn fierce criticism for its aggressive cuts and chaotic methods.Musk’s departure marks the end of a turbulent chapter in the Trump administration. Once seen as Trump’s ideological partner, he arrived in Washington earlier this year with a chainsaw literally and figuratively pledging to cut $2 trillion from federal spending. Instead, watchdogs estimate his real savings amounted to just $12 billion, with The Atlantic pegging it closer to $2 billion.His style, rooted in Silicon Valley’s mantra of “move fast and break things,” proved jarring in a capital governed by bureaucracy and political compromise. DOGE slashed thousands of jobs, shuttered departments like USAID, and even gutted scientific teams at the FDA and EPA. But the backlash was swift, lawsuits piled up, agencies rehired laid-off staff, and humanitarian consequences mounted abroad.Behind the scenes, Musk’s relationships inside the administration deteriorated. He clashed publicly with top officials, including shouting matches with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. His frustration boiled over in recent interviews, where he criticised Trump’s new spending bill and hinted at his growing disillusionment.Meanwhile, his businesses floundered. Tesla faced slumping sales and protests, while SpaceX suffered multiple failed launches. Shareholders demanded his return, urging him to refocus.
