Stephen Colbert says Elon Musk is 'blowing up' the White House 'like a Tesla in Self Driving Mode'

The 'Late Show' host went to town on Trump's 'special government employee.'
By  on 
Stephen Colbert speaking.
Watch Next

"Elon was able to buy his way into the government and now he’s blowing it up like a Tesla in Self Driving Mode," said Stephen Colbert on The Late Show on Tuesday, taking time in his monologue to call out the Trump-supporting tech billionaire's aggressive White House takeover.

Over the past few weeks, "special government employee" Musk and his team have been taking control of U.S. federal government departments, including gaining access to computer systems and taking aim at USAID. Musk runs the newly-created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) which is reportedly staffed mainly by college grads.

One Musk-rattled realm is the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), the federal government's HR department.

"You’re the richest man on Earth! You want to take over HR?" said Colbert. "Why can’t you be a fun billionaire like Richard Branson? Here he is kitesurfing wearing a naked lady on his back like a Jansport backpack. Or the Dyson guy? He invented a vacuum and grows delicious strawberries now.

"Elon, you could be the next Dyson — you never stop sucking."

Meanwhile, The Daily Show's Desi Lydic also got stuck into Musk's White House moves.

A black and white image of a person with a long braid and thick framed glasses.
Shannon Connellan

Shannon Connellan is Mashable's UK Editor based in London, formerly Mashable's Australia Editor, but emotionally, she lives in the Creel House. A Tomatometer-approved critic, Shannon writes about everything (but not anything) across entertainment, tech, social good, science, and culture. Especially Australian horror.


Latest Videos

'Deli Boys' may have created a whole new kind of crime boss in Lucky Auntie
By Warren Shaw and Sucharita Tyagi
Deli Boys Lucky Auntie



Alef's flying car is taking the fiction out of sci-fi
A photograph shows Alef Aeronautics' flying car hovering above a field




Netflix's 'Bullet Train Explosion' trailer is 'Speed' on a Japanese train
Passengers and a train conductor in 'Bullet Train Explosion.'

Figure’s humanoid robot will do your chores with voice commands
Figure's humanoid robots working together to put away groceries

The biggest stories of the day delivered to your inbox.
These newsletters may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. By clicking Subscribe, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Thanks for signing up. See you at your inbox!