Elon Musk will continue to be a "friend and an adviser" to President Trump after his official government role ends, according to Vice President JD Vance. Musk’s involvement in government has been centered around the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a position he’s held as a special government employee. However, due to the limited time he can serve, his term is set to expire in late May or early June.
Musk's work, while limited by law to a term of just over four months, has focused on improving government efficiency by identifying and eliminating wasteful or fraudulent grants. Vance explained that Musk had committed to helping streamline government operations, a task he was told would take around six months to complete.
"Elon signed up for a six-month effort to help cut government waste and make it more efficient," Vance said during an interview on Fox News. "But even after he leaves, he will continue to be an adviser to both me and the president."
Vance emphasized that although Musk’s formal role is ending, his contributions are far from over. He also highlighted the progress made so far, such as identifying inefficient programs and waste within the federal bureaucracy. Vance noted that, while the work is ongoing, the reform of the government bureaucracy will take time, and Musk’s influence will remain pivotal.
Despite reports suggesting that Musk would step back from his role soon, Vance dismissed these claims as "fake news." He assured the public that Musk's involvement in government efficiency would persist even after his official tenure ends.
As a special government employee, Musk's financial disclosure is not made public, and he is exempt from certain ethics rules that apply to permanent government staff. However, it remains unclear how the White House will proceed if Musk exceeds the 130-day limit of his role, as there have been no details on any payments for his service.
Vance's comments serve to clarify Musk's ongoing advisory role, stressing that the work on reforming the government bureaucracy will continue beyond Musk’s formal tenure.
Global
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