Elon Musk has just compared himself to Buddha — the founder of one of the world’s major religions.
In an Axios interview, the billionaire Tesla CEO claimed his controversial federal cost-cutting program, DOGE — the Department of Government Efficiency — is more than policy. “DOGE is a way of life, like Buddhism,” he said. “Buddha isn’t alive anymore. You wouldn’t ask the question: ‘Who would lead Buddhism?’”
Yes, Musk now sees himself not just as a tech mogul or political figure — but as a spiritual figure whose vision will live on after him, just like Buddha’s.
This came only days after Donald Trump talked about wanting to be pope.
Buddha, also known as Siddhartha Gautama, was a wandering ascetic and teacher in 5th century B.C. South Asia. Known as “the awakened one,” his teachings laid the foundation for Buddhism, a path focused on ending suffering through ethical living, mindfulness, and inner transformation. His death didn’t end the movement. It became stronger, guided by his message — not a single leader.
That’s the comparison Musk is leaning into.
He says DOGE will continue even as he steps back from day-to-day leadership. Originally aimed at cutting $2 trillion in federal spending by July 4, 2026, the program has fallen short — with only $160 billion slashed so far. But Musk isn’t calling it a failure.
“In the grand scheme of things, I think we’ve been effective,” he said. “Not as effective as I like… but we’ve made progress.” He also claimed he’s right “70 to 80 percent” of the time.
Now, Musk says he’s pulling back from Washington to refocus on his companies — all of which are under pressure. Tesla’s profits have cratered by 71% since Trump took office, hit hard by protests, fires, and tanking sales.
Despite all that, Musk talks like a leader of a movement. His DOGE staff is young — some barely out of high school. One’s even a college freshman.
And just days before Musk made his Buddha claim, Trump made his own divine pitch. When asked who he sees as pope, Trump fired back, “I’d like to be pope. That would be my No. 1 choice.”
Yep. First Trump wants the Vatican. Now Musk is channeling Buddhism. In their minds, they’re not just political leaders— they’re legends.
