Steve Davis keeps Musk's line open to DOGE

Tensions between the White House and a cadre of Elon Musk loyalists have escalated in recent weeks, with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) caught in the middle of a political tug-of-war. After Musk exited his role in the federal agency, he and President Donald Trump have had differences over policy and spending priorities. 

A determined faction of Musk allies is asserting the Tesla CEO’s influence within DOGE post-departure, according to a Wednesday Wall Street Journal exclusive.

Internal meetings at DOGE have reportedly included loyalty tests, with staffers being asked to choose sides between Trump and Musk. According to individuals familiar with the matter, these conversations have caused an internal conflict within the already depleted ranks of the agency. 

White House officials are reportedly diminishing DOGE’s role in government operations, the sources said.

Steve Davis keeps Musk’s line open to DOGE

Musk’s influence within DOGE hinges on Steve Davis, his longtime associate, who left the agency in May. He no longer holds a formal position in the office, but Davis is “close” with DOGE employees, communicating with them over Signal and phone calls. 

Some current and former DOGE officials believe that Elon’s allies could form a vision for a second iteration of the agency, DOGE 2.0, which will step away from government job cuts and focus on modernizing federal IT infrastructure. 

Others, particularly within Washington’s top office, propounded that Musk is stuck on DOGE because he is trying to “protect his business interests.” During his time in government, Musk supported the hiring of employees from his companies, SpaceX, Tesla, and X, into federal agencies. The FAA, for instance, confirmed it has been testing Starlink connections in several states.

Originally part of Trump’s second term’s most sold policies, DOGE has become a political nuisance to the White House, which now claims it has failed to deliver on its cost-saving promises. 

According to the DOGE website, the spending watchdog has saved $190 billion through budget-slashing. Yet, some economists across the political spectrum are unsure about the credibility of that figure. 

Trump and Musk continue clashing over fiscal policy

Trump’s frustrations with Elon came to a head after the billionaire publicly criticized his tax-and-spending bill, signed into law by the president last week. 

Trump has just posted about Elon Musk on Truth Social: pic.twitter.com/EZ7hUNSwHr

— Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) July 6, 2025

“We might have to put DOGE on Elon,” Trump quipped to reporters in a press briefing. “You know what DOGE is? DOGE is the monster that might have to go back and eat Elon.”

For weeks now, Musk has been hinting at the formation of a new political party, the America Party, adding to his attacks on Trump’s policies via social media. 

Over the July 4 weekend, Musk praised Republican Rep. Thomas Massie for opposing the “Big Beautiful Bill,” adding that he “regretted” leading DOGE. 

“What the heck was the point of DOGE if [Trump]’s just going to increase the debt by $5 trillion??” Musk posted on X last Saturday.

What the heck was the point of @DOGE if he’s just going to increase the debt by $5 trillion??

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 6, 2025

White House spokesman Harrison Fields defended the administration’s efficiency efforts, stating, “Many Presidents have promised, but none other than President Trump has delivered to actually make the government more efficient and root out waste, fraud, and abuse.”

Musk backs DOGE staff

On June 10, Elon joined Davis and top adviser Katie Miller, wife of White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, in a private meeting with DOGE staffers. The trio reportedly reassured employees of Musk’s support and encouraged them to stay the course.

In late June, Davis and Gebbia met with White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles to pitch DOGE’s future. Their proposal included improving public-facing government websites, such as a revamped National Parks portal. 

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