What Is Doge and Why Has Musk Left?

In a departing news conference at the White House, Trump and Musk showered each other with praise, and the president gave the tech tycoon a large golden key in a wooden box.

Although according to the president, Musk is “not really leaving” and will continue to be “back and forth” to the White House.

Initially Musk said he hoped to save as much as $2tn a year, but later halved this pledge.

The cost-cutting did not reach anywhere near that level before Musk departed the government.

Doge publishes a running total of estimated savings on its website — which stood at $175bn on 29 May.

However, a BBC analysis on 23 April found that only $61.5bn of that amount was itemised, and evidence of how the savings were achieved was available for just $32.5bn.