Elon Musk confidently compared himself to the Buddha as he insisted his federal cost-cutting efforts would continue on long after he leaves his role at the White House. “Is Buddha needed for Buddhism?

Elon Musk might soon be leaving Washington, but he says DOGE needs to be a long-term project. Musk insisted in a TV interview that the project to slash government spending and eliminate entire agencies ought to endure amid signs that he may soon step away from the effort and return to his struggling electric car company.

Elon Musk is defending the work of the Department of Government Efficiency as he prepares to scale back from his government role and spend more time at his businesses.