 "Tesla CEO and X owner Elon Musk")
Elon Musk, the billionaire CEO of Tesla and X, is once again making headlines for his extreme work habits. According to WIRED, Musk has taken his ‘hardcore’ work ethic to a whole new level — by reportedly living at the Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) headquarters in Washington, DC.
Yes, you read that right. Musk is staying at the DOGE’s offices inside the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, just steps from the White House. Interestingly, he claimed he was even invited to crash in the iconic Lincoln Bedroom but turned it down. But why? Reports suggest Musk wanted to avoid a formal relationship with former President Donald Trump’s team after Trump’s Chief of Staff, Susie Wiles, denied him office space in the West Wing, according to Daily Mail.
Musk’s hardcore work ethic
If you’ve followed Musk’s career, this won’t surprise you. The man who once slept on Tesla’s factory floor to ‘lead by example’ is simply applying the same philosophy to government reform. In a 2022 interview with investor Ron Baron, Musk said, “This is important because if the team thinks their leader is off somewhere having a good time, drinking Mai Tais on a tropical island... they knew I was there, and that made a huge difference.”
Now, that same relentless approach is being implemented at DOGE, a department Musk leads with a mission to slash government spending and streamline operations. And it’s not just talk—under Musk’s leadership, DOGE has already saved taxpayers around $1 billion per day. How? By halting unnecessary hiring, cutting costs, and eliminating programs related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). In fact, the US Office of Personnel Management’s Chief Diversity Officers Executive Council website has already been taken offline.
The penny problem
But Musk’s cost-cutting crusade doesn’t stop there. DOGE is now setting its sights on something you probably have in your pocket: pennies. The department is reviewing whether the US should continue producing pennies, which cost more to make than they’re worth. In 2023 alone, taxpayers lost an estimated $179 million just to keep pennies in circulation. Scrapping the coin could mean big savings.
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Concerns over Musk’s leadership style
Of course, Musk’s leadership methods are not without controversy. His ‘sleep-at-work’ mantra has raised eyebrows, with critics pointing to a potentially toxic work culture. Back in 2018, Musk admitted to sleeping on Tesla’s factory floor because he didn’t have ‘time to go home and shower’, and reports have surfaced of employees following suit—literally sleeping on production lines to meet deadlines.
While some admire his relentless drive, others question the sustainability of such practices, especially within government institutions.
