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Shark Tank investor Kevin O’Leary uploaded a video on Instagram on May 31, 2025, sharing his opinions on Elon Musk's work at DOGE.
The clip was taken from his recent TV interview with CNN News, where O'Leary said that he believed Musk was honest in terms of his objectives and had a good idea of saving money for the taxpayers.
However, he noted that Washington is a "very nasty place", where people often get burned the closer they get to the system. The Shark Tank star believes that while Musk learned this lesson the hard way, the Tesla owner did a "masterful job" at his role.
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O'Leary further pointed out that even though a lot of people criticized his approach and speed, what he did was help the taxpayers with a lot of the burden.
"I thought he did a masterful job and most people, even though lots were offended by the speed at which he went at it or maybe the way he implemented it, taxpayers would like to save money, period," he wrote in the caption of the post.
Shark Tank investor Kevin O’Leary praises Elon Musk's efforts, points out the real problem in the system
In the interview clip uploaded by Kevin O’Leary, the interviewer noted how a lot of people were critical of Elon Musk's work at DOGE. He pointed out how most believed that the entrepreneur was in it for himself and had access to the public's private data. The interviewer asked the Shark Tank star if he believed what these people were saying was true.
O'Leary said he disagreed with that narrative, stating that he believes Musk has been transparent about his objectives. He highlighted Musk’s claim that he could save taxpayers' money and stressed that this goal should be supported by both political parties.
The Shark Tank star went on to say that Musk introduced a compelling idea into the public consciousness—one of holding the government accountable through ongoing audits. He found this especially fascinating, noting that, in his view, no one has approached it quite like Musk.
"What he did experience is what most people do. Washington is a very nasty, nasty place, and the closer you get to the sun, the more your feathers get burned. That's for everybody. He found out the hard way. That's okay. It's a good learning lesson. And I've only started going to Washington for the last three years, and I've realized how tough it is," he added.
The Shark Tank star continued:
"The more you think about what he did, the more you should applaud it."
Furthermore, in the interview, O'Leary emphasized that he doesn’t see Elon Musk’s methodology as the issue. Instead, he pointed to bureaucracy and entrenched institutional resistance as the real obstacles.
The Shark Tank star highlighted how, in Washington, officials must navigate all three major roadblocks: the executive branch, Congress, and the judiciary. He stressed that it's not as simple as mandating, “Save a billion here, save a billion there”—every action must go through the proper channels within the system.
"That's where the system grinds you down. You can make the recommendation, but it can't be executed on. You have no power. As an employee for 130 days, you wield no power. The only power you have is given to you by the executive, the president. But even he can't jam it through Congress. And that's what we've learned," he concluded.
Shark Tank season 16 episodes are available on Hulu and ABC.
