'How Do You Run Tesla When You're Working On DOGE 24/7'—Dave Portnoy Says He Was Offered A Government Job, But He'd Have To Give Up Barstool

Dave Portnoy just dropped an unexpected claim—he says he was offered a role in the U.S. government but would have had to step away from running Barstool Sports to take it. While the offer never went past the initial conversation, it raises some interesting questions about business leaders juggling multiple high-profile roles—especially Elon Musk.

Portnoy's Surprise Government Offer

Portnoy shared the story in a video, saying, “I got a call, I don't know, a couple of months ago… and it was like, ‘Hey, would you have any interest, Dave, in joining the Department of Commerce, the Commerce Secretary under Lupnick [sic], or the guy working under him?'” However, there was a catch: “A caveat of joining the government is somebody would have to run Barstool. You can't run Barstool and work for the government.”

I was offered a position in the government but I would've had to stop running Barstool to take it #DDTG pic.twitter.com/T1eNqCcPek

— Dave Portnoy (@stoolpresidente) March 11, 2025

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He compared his situation to Musk's many ventures, questioning how the Tesla TSLA CEO manages everything he's involved in. “The one thing that I do wonder with Elon, and he’s the CEO of Tesla obviously, and he’s doing all this [Department of Government Efficiency] stuff, which I think is good, like get rid of government waste, I’m for that, but how do you run Tesla when you’re working on DOGE 24/7?” Portnoy asked.

The Offer That Went Nowhere

Even if Portnoy had been interested, it sounds like the conversation didn't get very far. “They never followed up,” he said. “They're like, ‘Let us know if you could find somebody to run Barstool, and you're interested, and if you are interested, we'll schedule a call in a week to go over the next steps.' That never happened, so it was weird.”

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Online Reactions: Jokes, Skepticism, and Ethics Concerns

The internet wasted no time reacting. Some users dismissed Portnoy's claim, likening it to sports radio host Mike Francesa’s story about nearly becoming an NFL coach. Others mocked the idea entirely, with sarcastic comments like, “Government Pizza Reviewer?” and “What position? Head of Rug Pull Division?”

Others took a more serious tone, questioning whether billionaires and business moguls should hold government roles. One user wrote, “It's a major red flag for corruption to have both government influence AND being fully vested in companies.” Another pointed out, “Musk has a FIDUCIARY responsibility to raise the value of his companies like $TSLA, which means he is incentivized to enrich himself vs. doing actual good.”

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On the other side, some defended Musk's ability to manage multiple roles, arguing that Tesla and SpaceX have plans in place that don't require his day-to-day oversight. “Companies like Tesla have plans in place for the next 3-5 years. He’ll be there for the important decisions, but he doesn’t need to monitor the day-to-day operations,” one user commented.

Would Portnoy Ever Join the Government?

It's unclear if Portnoy ever seriously considered the offer, but his reaction suggests it wasn't high on his list of priorities. Still, the fact that the call happened at all is enough to spark debate about where business leaders should—or shouldn't—draw the line between private enterprise and public service.

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