Elon Musk’s recent interview with CBS Sunday Morning had a few awkward moments, especially when reporter David Pogue asked about Musk’s thoughts on Donald Trump’s policies, including recent restrictions on international students. Musk gently steered the conversation back to his main focus, saying, “I think we want to stick to the subject of the day, which is, like, spaceships, as opposed to, you know, presidential policy.”
Pogue seemed a bit surprised by the response, noting, “Oh, okay, I was told, ‘Anything’s good.’” Musk clarified, “No,” looking thoughtful. Despite this, he did share some insights on his Department of Government Efficiency, which has been making significant cuts across federal agencies. Musk expressed frustration, saying it’s become “the whipping boy for everything,” joking that “if there was some cut, real or imagined, everyone would blame DOGE,” referring to his cryptocurrency.
Musk also touched on his complicated position with the Trump administration. He admitted to feeling “a little stuck in a bind,” explaining, “I don’t want to speak out against the administration, but I also don’t want to take responsibility for everything the administration’s doing.”
The interview was conducted just before SpaceX’s Starship test flight, which successfully launched but lost control during reentry—a reminder of the ongoing challenges in space exploration. When asked about his various ventures—SpaceX, Tesla, xAI, X (formerly Twitter), Neuralink, and The Boring Company—Musk described them as efforts “to improve the probable trajectory of civilization.”
At the time, Musk mentioned he was stepping back from some government work but planned to stay involved for a “day or two” each week. He also reaffirmed his commitment to Dogecoin, stating, “DOGE is going to continue, just as a way of life. And I will have some participation in that, but as I’ve said publicly, my focus has to be on the companies at this point.”
Following the interview, a clip of Musk criticizing the Trump-backed budget bill quickly made headlines. Musk then announced he was ending his role as a special government employee, though Trump later said Musk is “not really leaving.”
