Trump honors Elon Musk with the White House key and confirms his continued advisory role.

At the end of his term as head of the Government Efficiency Department, President Donald Trump honored billionaire Elon Musk by presenting him with the "White House key," praising his role in bringing about a radical transformation in government work. This took place during a joint meeting in the Oval Office in the presence of journalists.

Trump commended Musk's performance, saying, "He has done a fantastic job," referring to the efforts he made during a tumultuous four months that included the shutdown of dozens of external agencies as part of government spending cuts. He added, "Musk has not completely left the administration, he will come and go... and we owe him great appreciation." Trump also criticized previous financial waste, pointing out that America was "spending billions of dollars on foreign programs with no benefit."

For his part, Musk confirmed that his departure does not mean the end of the Government Efficiency Department (DOGE), saying, "This department's team will grow." He explained that he will maintain his role as an advisor to the president, adding, "I will continue to support the Government Efficiency Department and stop waste." He expressed confidence that the administration will achieve "trillions of dollars in savings over time," a goal he had previously promised.

This honor comes days after Musk announced his departure from his official position, writing on Twitter: "My scheduled time as a special government employee has ended." He also opposed Trump's major spending bill, describing it in an interview with CBS News as "increasing the financial deficit instead of reducing it," considering it undermines the efforts of the DOGE team.

During the ceremony, Trump described Musk as an "incredible patriot," noting that "90% of the country's population knows that." He commented on the gift, saying: "I thought of giving him the White House key as a gift from our country... Thank you."

It is worth mentioning that Musk achieved financial savings exceeding $160 billion during his tenure, but he left the administration leaving behind aspirations to reform the federal bureaucracy unfinished.