Elon Musk Shifts to Maintenance Mode at DOGE, Focusing More on Tesla and Delegation

Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, and a designated special government employee (SGE) for DOGE, is scaling back his time at the White House DOGE office. According to David Sacks, a venture capitalist and close friend of Musk who serves as the White House crypto czar, this move aligns with Musk's typical management style. Sacks explained on the latest All-In podcast that Musk tends to immerse himself deeply in new ventures, often spending long periods understanding every aspect before transitioning to a maintenance mode. This behavior was evident during his acquisition and early days at Twitter, where he spent around three months learning the business inside out before gradually delegating responsibilities. Sacks shared that during the Twitter transition, Musk was practically on-site daily, diving deep into the platform’s technical and operational details. Once he felt confident in his understanding of the business and had established a trusted team, he stepped back to allow others to take more significant roles. Similarly, Musk stated during Tesla's recent earnings call that he would reduce his time at the White House DOGE office to a day or two each week, emphasizing that he will remain involved as long as his presence is beneficial. This strategic shift is driven by pressures from investors and Wall Street analysts, who have urged him to prioritize Tesla amid reports of sluggish sales and customer backlash. The change in Musk's involvement at DOGE is likely a result of his extensive commitments across multiple high-profile roles. As an SGE, he is restricted to 130 days of government work per year, which he must balance with his duties at Tesla and SpaceX. Sacks believes that despite reducing his time, Musk is still deeply vested in DOGE and will continue to oversee it remotely. "My sense is that DOGE is going to continue, it's just that Elon is shifting to a mode where he can manage it one day a week or two days a week as opposed to being there five days a week," Sacks noted. This approach allows Musk to maintain oversight without being overly consumed by any single venture. His ability to focus intensively on new projects, establish robust systems, and then delegate tasks effectively has been a hallmark of his career. Sacks credits this method as the secret to Musk’s success in managing several companies simultaneously. He added that Musk “has these intense bursts where he focuses on something, gets the right people and structure in place, feels like he understands it, and then he can delegate more.” The close relationship between Sacks and Musk dates back to their time at PayPal, part of the influential group known as the PayPal Mafia, which includes figures like Peter Thiel and Reid Hoffman. Sacks’ insights come from a longstanding personal and professional connection, making his analysis particularly credible. Industry insiders view Musk's time management strategy positively, considering it a practical approach given his numerous high-stakes responsibilities. However, some experts warn that the constant shuffling between companies could lead to oversight gaps and potential issues if delegations do not go smoothly. Nonetheless, Sacks remains confident in Musk’s ability to handle this balancing act successfully, noting his track record of achieving remarkable results in diverse fields. Elon Musk's role as an SGE and his leadership at multiple tech giants highlight his unique position in both the public and private sectors. His reduced presence at DOGE, while potentially a relief to some, is a testament to his ambitious portfolio and the need to focus where he can make the most immediate impact. Sacks' comparison to Musk's previous ventures provides a reassuring context for those who might doubt the project's continuity, reinforcing the idea that Musk's hands-on approach is designed to set up strong foundations before stepping back.