‘Who would lead Buddhism?’: Elon Musk thinks he’s a ‘prophet’ now, proving that self-awareness isn’t his strong suit

There’s a new spiritual leader in town, and he drives electric cars when he’s not busy playing government efficiency expert between SpaceX launches and Twitter tantrums.

Elon Musk, apparently now self-appointed spiritual successor to Siddhartha Gautama, has reached new heights of ego-inflation that might make even Donald “I alone can fix it” Trump blush. Though to be fair, in this administration, comparing yourself to religious figures seems to be the minimum requirement for Cabinet meetings.

In what can only be described as peak Musk-ery, the DOGE czar gathered mainstream journalists in the West Wing’s Roosevelt Room – you know, the very media he’s spent years attacking as “fake news” – and casually dropped a Buddha comparison when asked who would lead his Department of Government Efficiency after his departure. “Is Buddha needed for Buddhism?” he mused philosophically. “Was it not stronger after he passed away?”

Just hours before the meeting, the Wall Street Journal published a story alleging that Tesla’s board was looking to replace Musk as CEO. The claims were denied, of course, but the mere fact that they surfaced is telling. Musk, who prides himself on being untouchable, suddenly seemed eager to control the narrative. So, he marched into the White House with three of his top DOGE aides in tow.

Musk, usually combative with the press, was oddly subdued and even, dare I say, humbled. Well, as humbled as someone can be when they’re comparing themselves to Buddha. Over the course of an hour, Musk admitted that DOGE had fallen short of its ambitious $1 trillion spending cut goals, managing only $160 billion so far. What’s more, Musk confessed that in the rush to slash spending, some “vital employees” were “accidentally let go.” Accidentally? That’s not exactly a ringing endorsement of DOGE’s efficiency.

Of course, it wouldn’t be an Musk story without some bizarre anecdotes thrown in for good measure. Musk revealed to reporters that he had stayed in the Lincoln Bedroom “more than once” and once ate an entire tub of Häagen-Dazs caramel ice cream while there. “It was epic,” he reportedly said. “I gained three pounds in one night.” For all his intelligence and achievements, he seems incapable of recognizing how ridiculous he sounds when he makes statements like this.

Over the years, Musk has cultivated a fanbase that treats him less like a flawed human being and more like a messianic figure. Whether he’s launching rockets, tweeting memes, or slashing government budgets, his followers cheer him on as if he can do no wrong. But the cracks in the façade are starting to show.