POLITICS

The Billionaire's Black Eye and Space Dreams

Washington, USASat May 31 2025
Elon Musk, the tech billionaire, made headlines with a black eye during a recent White House event. He was there to wrap up his 130-day stint in the Trump administration. The black eye was not from a fight or an accident. It was from his five-year-old son, X. Musk was joking around and dared his son to punch him. X took the dare and landed a good hit. Musk laughed it off, saying, "Turns out even a five-year-old punching you in the face. . . ". He did not finish the sentence, but the message was clear. He was not bothered by the black eye. The black eye was not the only thing that caught attention. Musk was also there to talk about his company, SpaceX. He shared his plans to land on Mars and make life multiplanetary. A reporter asked him what he thought was harder: colonizing Mars or making the government efficient. Musk did not hesitate. He said colonizing Mars was the harder task. He believes that over time, SpaceX can achieve trillion-dollar savings. This is a bold claim, but Musk is known for his ambitious goals. Musk was part of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). He and his team worked to cut federal spending. They cancelled grants, contracts, and programs. They aimed to save $2 trillion before Trump took office. However, by the time Musk left, they had only saved $175 billion. This is a small fraction of their goal. House Speaker Mike Johnson said these cuts will be included in congressional appropriations later this year. He also mentioned $1. 5 trillion more in spending reductions in Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill. Musk's departure from the White House did not mean the end of DOGE. He promised that the DOGE team would only grow stronger. He wore a black "Dogefather" T-shirt and matching "DOGE" hat to the sendoff event. He acted subdued, unlike his usual boisterous self. Meanwhile, social media was buzzing with speculations about his black eye. Some users joked about how he got injured. Others suggested it might explain his delayed talk at the event. Trump awarded Musk a key to the White House. This is a similar honor to the one given to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Trump said Musk would be back and forth. He added, "I've got a feeling. "This statement left many wondering about Musk's future involvement with the government. Musk's time in the Trump administration was short, but it was eventful. He left with a black eye and big plans for the future.

questions

    If colonizing Mars is harder than making the government efficient, should we send politicians to Mars instead?
    Should the DOGE team consider adding a 'punching bag' to their office for stress relief?
    What criteria should be used to evaluate the success of programs like the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)?

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