In a surprising move, tech mogul Elon Musk has announced he will be stepping back from his responsibilities in the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to dedicate more time to Tesla, his electric car company.

This revelation came shortly after a cabinet meeting led by President Donald Trump, where Musk humorously donned two MAGA hats stacked on top of one another, playfully commenting, "They say I wear a lot of hats, and as you can see, it’s true. Even my hat has a hat."

Reflecting on his unusual dual role in the government, Musk quipped about DOGE’s origins as a meme coin, saying, "It is funny that we’ve got DOGE. Doesn’t the absurdity of that make you wonder if we’re in a simulation? How did we get here?"

While he defended DOGE and its mission to cut government spending significantly, Musk's vague comments about his accomplishments and the agency’s future came amidst a growing backlash against his leadership.

"Being attacked relentlessly is not super fun," Musk admitted. "Seeing cars burning is not fun either," referencing the vandalism and protests that have erupted against Tesla amid his controversial tenure.

The backlash has reportedly led to instances of vandalism where protesters have damaged Tesla vehicles, and even rigged some with explosives.

In terms of company performance, Tesla has struggled recently, experiencing a staggering 71% drop in first-quarter profits, amounting to $409 million, far below expectations. The electric car maker's revenue also dipped by 9% to $19.3 billion.

The DOGE initiative, aiming to slash federal expenditure, has enacted severe budget cuts across several governmental departments. Under Trump, the administration has laid off over 121,000 federal employees and made deep cuts to essential services like the Department of Education and the National Institutes of Health.

This aggressive cost-cutting has led to numerous lawsuits and challenges as DOGE seeks access to sensitive government data, including Social Security information—a controversial move Musk defended by highlighting existing surveillance practices.

Despite aiming to reduce federal spending by a towering $1 trillion, Musk noted he has achieved $160 billion in cuts so far, conceding the ambitious target will require significant endurance from Congress and the Cabinet.

When asked about his potential successor at DOGE, Musk cryptically stated, "DOGE is a way of life... like Buddhism."