The Reuters news agency reported that Tesla has been facing uncertainty from the Trump tariffs and “shifting global trade policies”, adding that the company’s vehicle revenue dropped by 20 per cent and net profit by 71 per cent in the first quarter this year — the time since United States President Donald Trump took office and Musk started working at DOGE.

Some Tesla dealerships have also been vandalised, which Trump called “domestic terrorism” while vowing the perpetrators would “go through hell”.

What is DOGE, and how much has it saved?

Musk has been quoted as saying DOGE aimed to cut US$1 trillion ($1.5 trillion) from the federal budget in a bid to reduce government debt. This was partly to be achieved by “mass headcount reductions across the federal bureaucracy”.

Last month, over 200 “Tesla Takedown” protets took place around the globe. Source: SIPA USA, AP / Kirsty Wigglesworth

However, earlier this month he told a US cabinet meeting that target had been drastically revised down to US$150 billion ($230 billion) for the financial year.

“DOGE is not a serious exercise,” said Jessica Riedl, a fellow at the Manhattan Institute, a fiscally conservative think tank that supports streamlining government. She estimates DOGE has only saved US$5 billion ($7.8 billion) to date, and believes it will end up costing more than it saves.

In response to questions about the impact of DOGE’s cuts on government efficiency, White House spokesman Harrison Fields told Reuters in a statement that Musk’s team “has already modernised government technology, prevented fraud, streamlined processes, and identified billions of dollars in savings for American taxpayers.”

What’s next for DOGE?

“If he were to step back [from DOGE], the project he has embarked upon — whatever you think of it — would also dwindle down.”

From speaking at election rallies, to meetings in the Oval Office, Musk has been a fixture during Trump’s second presidency. Source: EPA, AP / (1) Aaron Schwartz, (2) Sarah Yensel, (3) Chip Somodevilla, (5) Alex Brandon

Under US law, Musk is classified as a “special government employee”, which allows him to work a government job for 130 days each year, with the period due to reset in January of 2026.