Elon Musk is opening up about his stint in Washington and reflecting on how political involvement impacted his focus. The CEO made the comments while discussing artificial intelligence, regulation, and industry collaboration in a recent interview.
Talking to Zanny Minton Beddoes, Editor-in-Chief at The Economist during an episode of The Insider, Musk reflected on his time steering government initiatives. "I think I got a little too involved in politics. I got carried away, frankly. The goal with the DOGE stuff was to try and do something about the deficit," he said.
The "deficit" Musk referenced pointed to a shortage of government officials with technical expertise and real-world experience in emerging technologies like AI, leaving regulators struggling to determine when new models are safe for public release.
The Impact on Tesla and the Return to Tech
Musk's foray into politics began as a special government employee in early 2025, leading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) under the Trump Administration to streamline federal spending. However, political friction quickly escalated into public feuds and a falling out with President Trump, rattling shareholder confidence as Tesla stock stumbled amid the drama.
During that era, backlash against Musk — and, by extension, Tesla — surged as buyers tied corporate brand identity directly to Washington politics. Following his brief stint with the Trump Administration, Musk said on multiple occasions that he was stepping back from political endeavors to refocus on running his core businesses. Relations with the federal government appear to have smoothed over since, with Musk recently joining President Trump on an official visit to China.
Working Together on AI Safety
Much of Musk’s interview with The Economist focused on the current state of AI and how the leading companies in the field might have to work together to keep the technology's dangers in check. Looking ahead, he emphasized the need for leading AI developers to communicate with each other despite their squabbles. “If we have to talk, we’ll talk,” he said, adding that industry rivals should “set aside personal differences for the good of the world". Check out a snippet of the interview below:
Can AI’s bosses work together to control the technology’s risks? “If we have to talk, we’ll talk,” says @elonmusk. On the latest episode of The Insider, he tells @zannymb that the industry’s rivals can “set aside personal differences for the good of the world”.
— The Economist (@TheEconomist) July 23, 2026
Tune in to the… pic.twitter.com/lEWNQHHEGX
With his political detours behind him, Musk's refocus on AI and core operations signals a return to technology first for Tesla and the rest of his corporate empire.
