Elon's Empire: Tesla Tumbles, DOGE Disrupts, AI Ambitions Soar

Elon Musk BioSnap a weekly updated Biography.

Elon Musk has commanded the headlines this week, clashing with the dual worlds of business and politics in ways only he can. At the heart of the news cycle is his controversial role leading President Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency, DOGE—yes, named after the meme and cryptocurrency mania that Musk himself helped popularize. In a revealing Axios Q and A, Musk conceded that DOGE’s budget-cutting mission, far from a clean surgical exercise, has created waves of discontent and may even extend through Trump’s full second term, rather than shutting down in 2026 as originally envisioned. Yet, he says, with characteristic bravado, “DOGE is a way of life, like Buddhism.” He also nonchalantly remarked that his security detail is less worried these days, since his office only has a view of an HVAC system, making it harder for would-be assailants to get a “good line of sight.” According to CBS News, Musk told Tesla investors he’ll significantly scale back his time in Washington starting this May, promising to devote far more attention to the automaker, yet stating he’ll keep at least one foot in the government game for the foreseeable future.

Meanwhile, Tesla’s fortunes are on a bruising downward slide. Tesla stock has plunged over 50 percent since its post-election surge, and European sales are down dramatically, with Sweden seeing a jaw-dropping 81 percent year-over-year decline. TechCrunch reports Musk tried to rally employees during a glitchy all-hands livestream, urging them to “hang on to [their] stock” and double down on producing the Cybercab, an ambitious robotaxi with no wheel or pedals. He also promised to deliver about 5,000 humanoid Optimus robots this year—a potential pivot for Tesla’s long-term value. But protests—dubbed the Tesla Takedown movement—are popping up outside dealerships nationwide, met at times by violent counterprotests.

On the legal front, TheStreet breaks down Musk’s ongoing rivalry with OpenAI’s Sam Altman, noting that their Silicon Valley feud has escalated into high-stakes litigation, with analysts warning Musk’s lawsuit may not go his way. In investment circles, his AI startup xAI is seeking an eye-popping $20 billion in capital, but the path ahead looks rocky and competitive. Social media, ever Musk’s playground, is awash with AI-generated slop—wild, false claims about sci-fi inventions—while the real Elon leans even further into his online persona, crowdsourcing DOGE’s policy ideas.

If that weren’t enough, Musk’s influence in politics remains massive, with recent disclosures revealing he gave $75 million to America PAC, the single largest backer of Trump’s reelection effort. With each news cycle, Musk’s blend of bravado, innovation, controversy, and chaos cements his place at the center of the world’s attention—sometimes genius, sometimes villain, always headline news.

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