**Elon Musk Defends DOGE Office Amid Criticism**

Elon Musk recently spoke out against the harsh criticism faced by the White House's DOGE office, describing it as becoming a "whipping boy for everything." In an interview with CBS that aired on Sunday, Musk defended the office's operations and addressed the backlash received regarding its cost-cutting measures.

Musk highlighted the disproportionate blame placed on DOGE, stating, "If there was some cut, real or imagined, everyone would blame DOGE. I've had people think that somehow DOGE is gonna stop them from getting their Social Security check, which is completely untrue." Musk’s remarks come after he previously referred to Social Security as "the biggest Ponzi scheme of all time" on an episode of "The Joe Rogan Experience" in February.

The Trump administration clarified in March that there would be no cuts to Social Security, Medicare, or Medicaid benefits, countering fears echoed by some critics. Musk reiterated his stance as a "proponent of smaller government" during his conversation with CBS.

In November, President Donald Trump appointed Musk to co-lead DOGE alongside Vivek Ramaswamy. However, Musk became the sole leader of DOGE following Ramaswamy's departure in January. Under Musk's leadership, from January to May, DOGE attempted to reduce government spending by shutting down foreign aid programs and laying off thousands of federal workers—a move that subsequently triggered boycotts and protests against Tesla, Musk’s electric vehicle company.

The backlash from Musk's involvement in DOGE also stirred concerns among Tesla investors, prompting repeated calls for him to focus more on Tesla. In response, Musk informed investors during a recent Tesla earnings call that he intended to scale back his involvement with DOGE.

Despite stepping down as DOGE's leader after a 130-day tenure, Musk told CBS that he would continue to play a part-time role in the office's activities. "DOGE is going to continue, just as a way of life, and I will have some participation in that. But as I've said publicly, my focus has to be on the companies at this point," he stated.

Both Musk and the White House have yet to comment further on the situation, despite inquiries from Business Insider.