Trump presents special gift to Elon Musk at Oval Office farewell

US President, Donald Trump on Friday presented Elon Musk with a large ceremonial golden key during a farewell event at the White House, marking the end of Musk’s role as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

The symbolic gift, housed in a brown box, was described by Trump as something he gives only to “very special people.”

The event in the Oval Office underscored both Trump’s appreciation and the unique relationship he shared with Musk during the billionaire entrepreneur’s time in public service.

Musk is stepping down from his position as a special government employee overseeing DOGE and will return to his business ventures full-time, including Tesla, SpaceX, and social platform X. Despite his departure, both men hinted the collaboration isn’t over.
“He’s going to be back and forth, I imagine,” Trump said after giving Musk the key.

Musk, dressed in all black and donning a t-shirt that read “The Dogefather,” responded, “I think the DOGE team is doing an incredible job.

They’re going to continue to be doing an incredible job.” He added, “I hope to continue to provide advice whenever the president would like.”
“I hope so,” Trump replied.

Though Musk had set out to cut $1–2 trillion in federal spending, the final tally landed closer to $175 billion, according to a May 26 DOGE report. The savings came through contract reductions, fraud crackdowns, and asset offloading, equaling roughly $1,087 per taxpayer.

Trump credited Musk with a “colossal change in the old ways of doing business in Washington” and praised his leadership as “the most sweeping and consequential government reform effort in generations.”

Musk’s departure also marks a dramatic shake-up in federal bureaucracy, with thousands of government jobs cut and agencies—such as the U.S. Agency for International Development—scaled back significantly under his leadership.

Musk had announced his exit earlier in the week, stating his “scheduled time” in government had concluded. On Friday, he emphasized, “This is not the end of DOGE. Only the beginning.”

While Musk formally exits his post, his influence—like his golden key—will likely remain a fixture in the Trump administration’s future efforts.