Elon Musk told “CBS Sunday Morning” that he has some “differences of opinion” with the Trump administration but feels “a little stuck in a bind” when he disagrees, not wanting to publicly speak out against them.
Musk, who sat down for an interview with “CBS Sunday Morning” a day before announcing his departure from DOGE, noted that he agrees “with much of what the administration does.” But he also said “we have differences of opinion” and that “there are things that I don’t entirely agree with.”
“But it’s difficult for me to bring that up in an interview because then it creates a bone of contention,” he said. “I’m a little stuck in a bind, where I’m like, well, I don’t wanna, you know, speak up against the administration, but I … also don’t wanna take responsibility for everything the administration’s doing. So I’m, like, kinda stuck, you know?”
Musk also said he was “disappointed” by the budget bill passed by House Republicans last week, which President Trump has dubbed the “big, beautiful bill.”
“I think a bill can be big or it can be beautiful,” Musk said, “but I don’t know if it can be both. My personal opinion.”
Musk’s interview, which airs June 1 on “CBS Sunday Morning,” was conducted on Tuesday, shortly before SpaceX’s Starship broke up on its ninth test flight. On Wednesday, Musk announced that his time at DOGE as a special government employee was coming to an end this week. Special government employees are limited to working 130 days in a 365-day period, and Friday marks 130 days since Mr. Trump took office and Musk launched DOGE.
Officially known as the Department of Government Efficiency, DOGE deployed staffers to agencies across the federal government with a declared mission to slash costs and cut waste. Its actions have prompted numerous lawsuits, and one analysis by the nonpartisan Partnership for Public Service found DOGE’s claims of $160 billion in savings will come at a cost of $135 billion this fiscal year.
“Musk left on good terms and is still friends with the president,” a senior administration official told CBS News about his departure. “This isn’t a separation, but just a return to the private sector for Musk. He will continue to be a friend to the president, and we can characterize that as an ‘adviser.'”
Tune in to “CBS Sunday Morning” this weekend on CBS to see more of the interview.