Elon Musk Isn’t 'Completely Out' Of DOGE — He’s Just In 'Maintenance Mode,' Says David Sacks: 'If He Doesn't, There's Gonna Be A Huge Backsliding' - Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA)

President Donald Trump‘s AI and Crypto Czar, David Sacks, on The All-In Podcast, shared his perspective on Elon Musk‘s recent decision to reduce his time commitment to the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

What Happened: The All-In Podcast posted a series of quotes from Sacks, discussing Tesla TSLA CEO Elon Musk’s involvement with DOGE. Sacks stated that Musk is not completely out of DOGE, but is rather rationing his time more efficiently.

He compared this to Musk’s initial involvement with Twitter, now X, where he spent a significant amount of time understanding the business before shifting to a “maintenance mode.” Sacks believes that Musk has reached a similar point with DOGE.

“And I think that’s the only way he can manage five companies, is that he has these intense bursts where he focuses on something, gets the right people and structure in place, feels like he understands it, and then he can delegate more,” stated Sacks.

Musk's diminished involvement in DOGE comes as Tesla faces global protests and boycotts tied to his political activity. Despite stepping back, Sacks indicated that Musk will continue overseeing DOGE to guard “..because if he doesn’t, there’s gonna be a huge backsliding where all the corrupt interest will basically put back all this corrupt spending.”

“My sense is that DOGE is gonna continue,” stated Sacks.

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Why It Matters: This discussion follows Musk’s announcement to reduce his commitment to DOGE, dedicating only one to two days per week moving forward. This decision was revealed during Tesla Inc.’s first-quarter earnings call following a 71% profit plunge in Q1 2025. This resulted in a significant surge in Tesla’s stock, a nearly 24% increase in the past five days following the announcement.

Musk’s DOGE has reportedly saved $160 billion by eliminating wasteful government spending. However, a recent analysis warns of potential hidden costs for taxpayers due to DOGE’s actions and it could cost taxpayers up to $135 billion this fiscal year.

Furthermore, according to a Senate report, Musk’s influence over DOGE could potentially help his companies avoid over $2 billion in financial liabilities.