Elon Musk Juggles Ambitions Amidst Challenges at X/xAI and Tesla
In a recent declaration, DOGE’s chief and tech mogul Elon Musk revealed that he is tirelessly dedicating himself to work, claiming to be “working and sleeping 24/7.” His remarks underscore a sense of urgency as he grapples with the challenges facing his ventures, including X/xAI, Tesla, and SpaceX.
Earlier this month, Musk distanced himself from the daily management of DOGE, citing time constraints due to his appointment as a Special Government Employee by President Donald Trump. Additionally, he signaled a retreat from political donations, following his significant financial backing that helped propel Trump to victory in the previous election.
The social media platform X has recently faced significant operational hurdles, attributed to a battery fire at a data center in Oregon. This incident has sparked violent protests against Tesla, particularly after Musk was appointed to lead the newly established Department of Government Efficiency, aimed at overhauling the federal government.
In response to X’s operational troubles, Musk tweeted:
Back to spending 24/7 at work and sleeping in conference/server/factory rooms. I must be super focused on X/xAI and Tesla (plus the Starship launch next week), as we have critical technologies rolling out. As evidenced by the uptime issues this week, major operational improvements need to be made. The failover redundancy should have worked, but did not.
Back to spending 24/7 at work and sleeping in conference/server/factory rooms. I must be super focused on /xAI and Tesla (plus Starship launch next week), as we have critical technologies rolling out. As evidenced by the uptime issues this week, major operational…
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 24, 2025
According to a report by the Oregonian, a battery fire erupted at the Hillsboro data center early Thursday morning, necessitating evacuation but fortunately resulting in no injuries. Fire officials reported that the blaze was contained to a specific area and did not extend beyond the battery set.
Digital Realty, the operator of the affected data center, reportedly leases space to X in an adjacent facility. Following the fire, online tracker DownDetector noted a surge in reported outages on X’s platform, which persisted throughout the day.
While challenges mount at X and Tesla, Musk’s SpaceX continues to shine, boasting several successful launches this month. A highly anticipated Starship launch is scheduled for Tuesday from the newly incorporated city of Starbase, Texas.
It’s official: Starbase is now an incorporated city in Texas. With local governance in place, we are excited to continue building the best city for our community.
— StarbaseTX (@StarbaseTX) May 20, 2025
The ninth flight test of Starship is preparing to launch as soon as Tuesday, May 27 → https://t.co/Gufroc2kUz pic.twitter.com/nTc2x5NAlT
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) May 23, 2025
