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In a recent podcast interview with biographer Walter Isaacson, Musk stated that the work of "DOGE" (Department of Government Efficiency), which he once led, ultimately came to nothing; this experience proved that trying to "solve the deficit problem from inside the government simply doesn't work."

"The only way to solve the national debt problem is artificial intelligence and robots. Just relying on 'saving money' cannot solve this problem," Musk said.

This interview comes from a brand-new podcast series The Builders, hosted by Walter Isaacson, which will premiere next Tuesday. Musk acknowledged that the attempt by the "Department of Government Efficiency" (DOGE) ended in failure; but he also pointed out that some future administration might, with the help of increasingly powerful artificial intelligence, try again to tackle this difficult problem.

Musk stated that neither the White House, the House of Representatives, the Senate, nor the judiciary has any willingness to cut spending. "Fundamentally, no one in power in the government — perhaps except for a very few exceptions like Rand Paul — truly wants to cut spending."

"If the president could make this a top priority, perhaps we could do it," Musk added. "But if you try to solve the deficit problem and eliminate wasteful spending, you will make a great many enemies. President Trump wants to be popular; he does not want to see people showing up at his door complaining because certain funding has been cut."

Musk admitted that he "really got a bit carried away" at the time, which led him to spend "too long" away from his own companies. "I should have stayed more in the background," he added, "and perhaps only staying one or two months would have been enough" — rather than the four months he actually spent at the White House. "I should have returned earlier and redirected my energy back into the field of artificial intelligence (AI)."

When Isaacson asked Musk whether his experience in the White House West Wing was in some way overly "tempting," Musk replied: "A little bit, yes. I mean, it felt pretty cool... because I was right there in the Oval Office, personally witnessing the birth of those major decisions."

When asked about waving a chainsaw on stage at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) one month into Trump's second term, Musk said: "That was a strange weekend." When pressed for more details, Musk said: "The past is better left unmentioned."