After spending 130 days working to dismantle entire federal government agencies, firing tens of thousands of civil servants and sparking dozens of lawsuits over potential misuse of Americans’ personal data, the
The richest person in the world received a solid-gold skeleton key as an award.
to the White House.
Sitting at the Resolute Desk, the President
Donald Trump
praised
Elon Musk
from the Oval Office
For his four-month tenure heading the Department of Government Efficiency
, a position from which Musk must step down because of his previous designation as a “special government employee.” This title allowed him to work without pay and avoid following financial disclosure regulations, though this was limited to 130 days each year.
He called the
Tesla
And as the CEO of SpaceX was referred to as “one of the greatest business leaders and innovators the world has ever seen,” with praise directed at him for spearheading what President Trump described as “the most extensive and significant governmental restructuring initiative in decades.”
“Elon provided an outstanding service. Nobody compares to him, and he faced immense criticism, which is unfortunate since he’s such a remarkable patriot. The positive aspect is that 90 percent of the nation recognizes this, appreciates his efforts, and truly values what he accomplished,” he stated.
Trump subsequently gave Musk a token that harked back to the 47th president’s previous tenure as the 45th President of the United States: A “Key to the City.”
White House
.”
It was a large, gilded key housed in a wooden display case, featuring an etching of the Executive Mansion on the interior lid.
Musk certainly wasn’t the inaugural individual to receive this Trump-like token. In his 2022 memoir,
Breaking History
, Donald Trump Jr.’s husband and former senior advisor
Jared Kushner
shared how he had “quickly presented” the identical present to the Israeli Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu
During a gathering in the Oval Office in September 2020.
Back then, Trump referred to it as “a special gesture of kindness presented by me and the First Lady to the Prime Minister and the First Lady of Israel.”
“And it’s like a key—what we call the key to the White House. It represents not just our nation but also resonates deeply within us,” he stated as he presented it to Netanyahu.
Kushner stated that Trump informed Netanyahu the key presented to him was “the first key I’m giving to anybody,” asserting that this token would provide Netanyahu access to the White House even after Trump ceased being president.
When he presented Musk with the same trinket almost half a decade later, Trump mentioned it was “a small token of appreciation” that he bestows upon “truly exceptional individuals” as “an honor from our nation.”
It remains unclear how many souvenirs were distributed by Trump; however, a search conducted reveals
The Independent
unveiled that matching items have appeared on eBay, where two present listings display prices of
$7,250
and
$7,950
The auction website RActiveSheet
R Auction also displays one more that was sold for $3,670.
.
Musk, who sported a black “
Make America Great Again
Cap wore a black suit along with a T-shirt emblazoned with ‘The Dogefather’ and seemed to glance around the Oval Office without direction as Trump spoke. He took the box from the president when he mentioned to journalists that his tenure in the administration was bound to conclude and had only ever been for a set period.
However, somewhat paradoxically, he stated that the DOGE team he assembled “will only become more robust with time” and likened DOGE to “a form of Buddhism.”
“It’s akin to a lifestyle change. This shift is seeping into every level of governance, and I am certain that gradually, we will achieve savings and eliminate waste totaling one trillion dollars,” he stated.
He mentioned that he would “keep making visits” to Washington “as a friend and advisor” to Trump, emphasizing his anticipation of returning to the Oval Office. He complimented the president on his redesign initiatives, noting how the room has adopted an opulent appearance with extensive use of gold leaf adorning the walls and ceiling.
Although his demeanor remained mostly cheerful and upbeat, he became confrontational when asked to address a New York Times article suggesting that his association with Trump, stretching back to the thick of the 2024 presidential race, involved certain issues.
utilizing substances “frequently” and habitually
including “chronically” with the potent anesthetic
ketamine
to the point where it impacted his bladder.
It is claimed that Musk was consuming Ecstasy, hallucinogenic mushrooms, and Adderall, all of which were stored in a daily pill organizer containing approximately 20 tablets, as per the report.
When asked about the explosive report highlighting his “unpredictable conduct” during the period surrounding Trump taking office, including certain actions observed on Inauguration Day, he addressed the allegations regarding his behaviors.
mirrored Nazi salutes
, his
repeated clashes
along with high-ranking administrative personnel and cabinet members, coupled with his “ever more chaotic” domestic situation,
including disputes over custody and the disclosure of his 14th offspring,
Musk shifted focus to criticize the newspaper for its precise and award-winning coverage of Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign and the federal investigation into his connections with the Russian administration.
Was that the same publication that was awarded a Pulitzer Prize for inaccurate coverage of the Russiagate scandal?
New York Times
“Let’s proceed,” Musk stated.
During the press conference, Musk was easily recognizable with a prominent black eye. When a journalist inquired about the injury, he attributed it to his young son, X Æ A-12, commonly known as “Little X.”
“I was playfully fooling around with Little X, and I told him ‘go ahead, hit me in the face.’ So he did,” he explained.
During the one-hour discussion, the faces of other well-known individuals were also brought up besides the billionaire’s.
Following his conversation with Musk, Trump addressed several subjects when answering questions, which also included an inquiry about a recent event concerning the French President.
Emmanuel Macron
along with his spouse, Brigitte, during which the
The French First Lady seemed to nudge her spouse.
As they were leaving the plane earlier this week.
When asked for advice regarding his French counterpart, Trump—who has been married thrice and divorced twice—responded with: “Ensure the door stays shut.”
He mentioned that he had recently talked with Macron and stated that the French president and his spouse were “doing well.”
“They are truly wonderful individuals. I have known him quite well, and although I am unsure of the details regarding that situation, I can confidently say that both of them are doing just fine,” he stated.
A one-hour exchange with journalists signalled the official conclusion of Musk’s tenure in government. During this period, his DOGE organization frequently clashed with key figures in Trump’s administration. Additionally, the wealthy GOP supporter fell out of favour with Trump after donating substantial sums and personally campaigning for a Wisconsin judicial candidate who ultimately suffered a crushing defeat regardless of these efforts.
Musk seemingly diverged from Trump regarding the President’s “Big Beautiful Wall” funding plan, as this proposal fails to commit to the extensive cuts and changes that the tycoon and his DOGE team have implemented during their tenure in office.
His declared aim as the (
apparently informal
The aim of the DOGE leader was to reduce government expenditure and help American taxpayers save money. Prior to the inauguration,
He asserted that he could trim $1 trillion from the federal budget before September 30th.
By addressing “waste, fraud, and abuse”—a step down from his initial $2 trillion pledge during the campaign. He also asserted that “the majority of the work” needed to achieve this would be completed within 130 days.
As of May 26, Dogecoin’s
online “wall of receipts”
Total estimated savings under President Trump’s tenure stand at approximately $175 billion, equating to around $1,086.96 for each individual taxpayer. However, the issue lies in the fact that these figures might just be meaningless.
However, when dismissing his former ally with a fake golden key, Trump was not questioned regarding Musk’s remarks on his spending proposal.
Nevertheless, he commented on the trial of hip-hop tycoon Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, a previous participant in the president’s reality TV show, who is currently facing accusations related to sex trafficking.
When asked about potentially granting a pardon to the scandal-ridden musician whom he had previously referred to as “a good friend,” Trump avoided giving a direct answer by stating he wasn’t following the trial too closely but indicated he would “consider what’s going on” by keeping the option available.
“I haven’t laid eyes on him. It’s been years since we last talked. He was quite fond of me back then, but I believe running for office caused our relationship to fall apart, based on what I’ve gathered,” Trump stated.
I would definitely review the evidence if someone seemed to be treated unfairly, regardless of whether they approve of me or not; their opinion wouldn’t influence my decision.
Io Dodds provided reporting from San Francisco.
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