Elon Musk's political adventure at the head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is ending sooner than expected. Between broken promises and controversy, the businessman's term had made the press's choices, and the civil servants' misfortune.
Announced as the spearhead of an administrative revolution, DOGE was ultimately It was nothing more than a mirage: Musk promised historic budget cuts of $2 trillion, but only managed to scrape together $150 billion, a drop in the ocean compared to the US federal budget. Flagship initiatives, such as sending massive weekly emails to civil servants to demand results, proved ineffective and were quickly abandoned. The Office of Personnel Management quickly defused any sanctions. Much ado about nothing in the end.
We must save Private Tesla
If Musk is leaving politics, it is not out of weariness: it is the industrial emergency that calls him. Tesla is going through its most serious crisis in years. Global sales of electric vehicles plunged 13% in the first quarter of 2025, with 336,681 cars delivered, well below analysts' expectations. In Europe, the situation is even more alarming: sales fell by nearly 50% in the first two months of the year, and by 59.5% in Germany in January. The reasons are multiple: fierce competition, model transitions, but also an image crisis linked to the billionaire's political commitment, which has triggered calls for boycotts and acts of vandalism against the brand.
This crisis is also reflected on the stock market: Tesla shares have lost nearly 44% of their value since the beginning of the year, and investors are worried about the brand's loss of momentum and the impact of Musk's positions. Interviewed by the Washington Post, Dan Ives, an analyst at Wedbush Securities, spoke of a point of no return for Tesla and urged Musk to leave politics to refocus on his business.
And after?
Elon Musk's departure from DOGE now seems a done deal. According to several sources, the White House and Donald Trump themselves are anticipating this exit, which should take place as soon as his special employee contract ends, at the end of May or beginning of June. As for The future of DOGE remains very uncertain: without leadership or tangible results, it could disappear well before its official deadline.
For Tesla, the challenge is immense: it is now a question of regaining the trust of customers and investors, boosting sales and restoring the image of a pioneering brand, now weakened by the errors of its leader. Elon Musk's (short) political interlude is closing on a double failure: an ineffective DOGE and a Tesla in the middle of a storm. The billionaire must now urgently refocus on his industrial empire in order to avoid collapse.
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