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.”

Elon Musk, who U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has tapped to oversee a government cost-cutting effort, acknowledged that his declared goal of cutting $2 trillion in spending from the $6.8 trillion federal budget would be a long shot.

Elon Musk is backing away from his pledge to cut $2T in government spending. He now says half that number would be an ‘epic outcome.’

Elon Musk on Wednesday backtracked on his goal to cut $2 trillion from the U.S. budget in his role as the co-head of DOGE, Donald Trump’s proposed new advisory body which aims to slash waste and regulations to lower taxes.

Elon Musk, the tech billionaire tapped for a government efficiency panel by President-elect Donald Trump, has expressed skepticism about the feasibility of cutting $2T from the U.S. federal budget, backtracking on his own previously ambitious claims.

Elon Musk, who has been tasked by US President-elect Donald Trump to lead a government efficiency commission, has acknowledged his goal of slashing federal spending would be tricky — now eyeing $1 trillion in cuts,