Donald Trump and Elon Musk Oval Office press conference, live: DOGE leader’s resignation and latest news

That's a wrap

Well, that brings Musk's time working as a formal government employee to an end.  

The press conference largely shifted to more general questions, covering topics ranging from Trump’s approach to immigration to the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine. He also reiterated his unprovable claim that Russia would not have invaded Ukraine if he had been elected in 2020. These questions followed short speeches by both President Trump and Elon Musk about the future of DOGE, as well as the new role Musk will take up as a senior advisor. 

Later, when reporters began to expand their questions beyond DOGE, the president was asked about how much control Joe Biden had over the White House. 

Trump cast doubt on whether President Joe Biden was fully aware of immigration developments during his administration, describing Biden as a “moderate” for most of his career. He claimed that individuals from jails and mental institutions were entering the U.S. from around the world, including what he described as “rough” parts of Europe and did not believe that Biden would have supported any policies that made that possible.

Thanks for joining us! 

Elon Musk says his bruise was caused by his son

When asked how he injured his eye, Musk said the damage was caused by his son, whom he shares with singer Grimes. He joked that the incident reminded him of the viral video showing French Prime Minister Emmanuel Macron’s wife swatting him in the face in front of cameras.

Musk appears with a bruise near his eye

Many on social media are asking about an apparent injury to Elon Musk's eye, which appears slightly bruised during the event in the Oval Office. 

Musk asked about the NYT reporting on his alleged drug use 

A reporter began asking Musk about the recent New York Times report alleging his use of illegal drugs on the campaign trail. However, the billionaire quickly interrupted the question and accused the Times of being a fake news outlet that had falsely promoted the “Russia-gate hoax.” Aaron Rupar has published a clip of the interaction. 

Musk asked about the NYT reporting on his alleged drug use

A reporter began asking Musk about the recent New York Times report alleging his use of illegal drugs on the campaign trail. However, the billionaire quickly interrupted the question and accused the Times of being a fake news outlet that had falsely promoted the “Russia-gate hoax.” The room then moved on from the question.

President Trump gives Musk a key to commemorate his time in the White House

President Trump gave billionaire Elon Musk a special golden gift to mark the end of his time as a leader at DOGE. The president said he saved this type of gift for very special people, while thanked him for his service. 

Trump speaks to Musk's future role in the adminstration

"Elon's really not leaving. He's gonna be back and forth," said President Trump from behind the Resolute desk at a press conference marking Musk's departure as a special government employee. VP JD Vance said in an interview earlier this week that the billionaire owner of X and Tesla would remain a senior advisor moving forward. 

DOGE to continue work started by Musk, says President Trump

President Trump has opened the press conference by highlighting the accomplishments of Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), while also acknowledging the challenges the team has faced. “Many contracts are being looked at,” the president said, adding that Musk would be remembered when those efforts succeed in court.

"We are fully commited to making the DOGE cuts permenet," said president Trump, who said that while some of the cuts had been included in the Republican spending bill, others would form part of another bill to be passed at a later date. The president went on to call the abuse suffered by Musk's image was unfair.  

We are getting underway

The event has begun, with President Trump opening the Oval Office press conference by playing a short video highlighting positive news coverage of the economy.

The format is similar to the first press conference with Musk and Trump that took place in February. Trump is sitting behind the Resolute desk and Musk is standing off to the side. 

A bit delayed...

The press conference has yet to begin at 1:50 pm in Washington DC. The White House has began a live stream for the event, hopefully a sign that it should be getting underway shortly... 

New York Times publishes report on alleged drug use by Musk

The New York Times published an article on Friday alleging, through anonymous sources, that Elon Musk is a user of illegal drugs. According to the report, individuals familiar “with Musk’s activities” were surprised by the extent of his drug use during the presidential campaign.

“[Musk] told people he was taking so much ketamine, a powerful anesthetic, that it was affecting his bladder—a known effect of chronic use,” the article states.

The allegations surface just as Musk prepares to step down from his role leading DOGE within the Trump administration.

It remains to be seen whether questions about his reported drug use will arise during the upcoming Oval Office press conference.

Speaker Johnson looks to pass a bill to codify the cuts made by DOGE under Elon Musk

Billionaire and outgoing DOGE leader Elon Musk voiced his disappointment with the “big beautiful bill” recently passed by House Republicans. In response, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson stated that GOP leaders are working with the White House to codify some of the spending cuts initiated by DOGE. However, he confirmed that many of those cuts will not be included in the legislative package currently being negotiated in the US Senate.

In a post on X, Speaker Johnson congratulated Musk for his work at DOGE and said he is waiting for the White House to send the DOGE rescissions package to the House. Once received, he added, the GOP caucus will “quickly” move to codify the proposed cuts. A clear distinction has emerged between the legislative process and the executive-led rescissions effort, and during the upcoming press conference, Musk is likely to face questions about whether he supports the path Congress is taking. 

Some early estimates suggest that the White House’s upcoming package compiling cuts made by DOGE would eliminate around $9 billion in federal spending. Meanwhile, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has projected that the House Republicans’ budget bill could add more than $2 trillion to the federal deficit over the next decade.

Politics

Elon Musk decides he’s had enough of spending his money on politics: “I’m going to do a lot less in the future”

It would appear that Elon Musk is second guessing his frontline political involvement. The richest man in the world was President Donald Trump’s largest single benefactor in his campaign to return to the White House.

The tech billionaire forked out at least a quarter billion during the 2024 election cycle and millions more on a Wisconsin Supreme Court race backing the Republican candidate who lost. However, he said on Monday speaking via videoconference at a Bloomberg forum that he’ll be spending “a lot less” in the foreseeable future. Read more. 

How much has DOGE 'saved'?

The DOGE website has been tracking what the team claims are real-time savings to the federal budget. As of now, the total stands at $175 billion—far short of the trillions Elon Musk had originally hoped to cut during his time in government. However, as many of the cuts are challenged in the court's this number could change. 

Musk’s contract as a special government employee limited the number of days he could serve, and that cap has now been reached. Both the White House and Musk have also emphasized that he’s urgently needed back at his companies. Tesla stakeholders appear to agree, with some even calling for a new CEO to be appointed, citing the damage to Musk’s public image, particularly among potential electric vehicle buyers, as a growing concern.

President Trump on Musk's depature

"This will be his last day, but not really, because he will, always, be with us, helping all the way."

This won’t be the first time President Trump and Elon Musk address the press from the Oval Office.

Back in early February, as the administration was still finding its footing, the two appeared together to discuss DOGE’s mission to cut government spending. Musk joined the administration with the ambitious goal of slashing trillions in federal expenditures, but he departs with the realization that the challenge was far greater than he had anticipated. The billionaire has also expressed disappointment over DOGE’s public image, saying it has become a scapegoat for many of the administration’s more unpopular funding decisions.

This photo was just one of the many captured from the controversial event, which aimed to highlight the close relationship between the GOP leader and his billionaire backer. 

Not really a goodbye, but a see you later

Elon Musk reposted a video of VP JD Vance explaining that the billionaire is not fully departing the administration. "The DOGE effort will continue," said the VP, adding that "Elon will continue to be an important advisor.”

Along with the video, Elon Musk posted "True," verifying that he will be staying connected to the White House in some capacity as he returns to his companies. 

Just one example...

The adminstration's various social media channels have been filled with videos and images, announcing the press conference and congratulating Elon for his time in government. Though from the outside it looks like the distance between the two men has been growing, the White House is eager to show unity. 

US Politics

Elon Musk frustrated with Trump’s big beautiful bill: “I was disappointed to see the massive spending bill, frankly”

The press conference comes after Musk's interview with CBS News, where he said that he was "disappointed" by the legislative package passed in the House of Representatives. 

The critique of the bill, which contains many of the campaign promises Trump ran on, is not the first time Musk has diverged from the White House's policies. As the president's tariff policy has gone into effect, the billionaire spoke openly about his discussions with the president, urging him to reconsider. Ultimatately, he did not win those arguments, and Tesla could suffer as a result. 

Read more. 

Politics

Elon Musk drops Trump bombshell and reveals real reason for White House exit

It was not a day to remember for Donald Trump. On the same evening that the US International Trade Court blocked a large part of his tariff policy, Elon Musk – his right-hand man since entering the White House – announced his resignation from the administration, voicing criticism and disappointment. Read more. 

Welcome!

Hello and welcome to our live blog following the developments from the White House as President Trump and Elon Musk prepare to speak with the media from the Oval Office. 

President Trump announced that he will host an Oval Office press conference with billionaire Elon Musk as he prepares to leave Washington.

The event is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. ET, according to a post on the president’s Truth Social account. After the press conference, Trump will head to Pennsylvania, where he’s set to hold a rally.

Musk is stepping down from his influential role in the Trump administration role at DOGE, the “Department of Government Efficiency.” His time at DOGE has coincided with a dip in his public favorability, which has also impacted his private ventures. Tesla, for example, has seen declining demand in global markets. The company only managed to stay profitable last quarter thanks to revenue from selling carbon credits to other automakers that produce gas-powered vehicles.

Musk's time in politics has taken a toll, and when answering a question about his role going forward, he said that he "had done enough" and would be taking a major step back. However, on his way out the door, the billionaire stated that he was "disappointed" with the bill passed by House Republicans, as it increases the deficit and national debt. The president and his "first buddy" are expected to answer questions on the future of the legislative package, which now sits in the Senate, as well as the impact of DOGE and its role moving forward.