**Trump Bids Elon Musk Farewell in the Oval Office**

In a surprising turn of events, President Donald Trump hosted a farewell event for tech mogul Elon Musk in the Oval Office on Friday. Known for his enterprises Tesla and SpaceX, Musk announced this week that he will be stepping down from his role as Trump’s chief cost-cutting adviser. During a joint news conference, Trump lauded Musk as an unparalleled business leader and innovator.

Although Musk had aimed to slash $1 trillion from the federal budget, he fell short of this ambitious goal. Nonetheless, Trump presented him with a golden key emblazoned with the White House insignia as a token of gratitude. Reading from prepared remarks, Trump commended Musk for his efforts in identifying "waste, fraud, and abuse" within the federal budget. Musk reassured that he would still serve as a friend and adviser to the president and expressed hope that his cost-cutting initiative, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), would achieve its financial targets in time.

While the occasion was meant to celebrate Musk’s contribution, it quickly turned into a solo press conference for Trump. The president addressed various questions, including whether he has marital advice for French President Emmanuel Macron, following a sensational video involving Macron's wife. Trump also briefly touched on the possibility of pardoning Sean "Diddy" Combs but mentioned he hadn't given it much thought.

Musk's departure from Washington comes amidst weakening influence within the Trump administration and significant challenges within his companies. His tenure as a special government employee—limited to 130 days by law—saw Musk implementing aggressive cost-cutting policies under DOGE, which prompted mixed reactions.

Despite disagreements on trade tariffs and budget policies, Musk and Trump made efforts to acknowledge each other’s contributions during the farewell event. Musk's government efficiency team has repeatedly cited significant savings, though exact figures remain contentious, and some departments have been severely impacted by the budget cuts.

Musk admitted in a recent interview with Ars Technica that he might have overextended his involvement in politics at the expense of his private ventures. Going forward, he intends to focus more on SpaceX and Tesla. However, his association with Trump isn't entirely severed, as Musk has promised to funnel $100 million to political groups influenced by Trump’s administration before the 2026 midterms.

The farewell reflects Musk's complex relationship with the Trump administration—marked by both cooperation and contention—and signals a return to his roots in the tech industry.