Elon Musk walked back his previous claim that he could cut at least $2 trillion from the federal budget, saying Wednesday that half that amount would be “an epic outcome.”

Key Takeaways Elon Musk said Wednesday that his goal of cutting $2 trillion in government spending may be a difficult number to reach, with half that figure more likely.Musk said in an interview that cutting waste in the federal government is a "target rich environment,

"I think if we try for $2 trillion, we've got a good shot at getting one," Musk told political strategist Mark Penn.

The billionaire CEO of Tesla says there is a good shot of cutting at least $1 trillion from federal government expenditures.

Elon Musk initially pledged to cut some $2 trillion from the federal budget, alongside his DOGE partner, politician Vivek Ramaswamy.

Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy's Department of Government Efficiency says it's now hiring. Here's how to apply.

DOGE will not be the first effort to bring a “business perspective” to government reform. For decades, presidents have convened similar groups, composed of corporate and public-sector leaders, to streamline federal operations and crack down on waste,