Elon Musk raised eyebrows Friday when he showed up at a White House sendoff sporting a black eye, as he marked the end of his 130-day stint as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) under President Trump.
The bruising prompted immediate press curiosity — and laughter from President Trump — after Fox News’ Peter Doocy brought up a separate viral moment involving France’s First Lady allegedly slapping her husband. Musk quickly clarified: “I wasn’t anywhere near France. I was just horsing around with Little X, and I said, ‘Go ahead, punch me in the face,’ and he did. Turns out even a 5-year-old can do some damage.”
Photos from a Mars strategy briefing on Thursday had already revealed the shiner. When asked whether fixing the U.S. government or colonizing Mars was harder, Musk deadpanned: “Tough call. But Mars might be easier. We do expect to achieve, over time, the trillion-dollar savings.”
During his brief but headline-grabbing tenure at DOGE, Musk led a sweeping crusade against government waste, cutting $175 billion in federal programs, contracts, and grants — an estimated $1,087 per taxpayer. House Speaker Mike Johnson confirmed Wednesday that those cuts would be reflected in upcoming congressional appropriations, and cited $1.5 trillion more in reductions expected through Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill.”
At the farewell event in the Oval Office, Musk — wearing a black “Dogefather” shirt and DOGE hat — signaled he’s not done: “This is not the end of DOGE — only the beginning. The DOGE team will only grow stronger over time.”
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