Elon Musk can stay 'as long as he likes' but will want to get back to businesses, says Trump

Aboard Air Force One: President Donald Trump gave billionaire adviser Elon Musk a fresh endorsement on Thursday amid criticism of Musk's government reduction project and said he can stay "as long as he likes" but will eventually return to his businesses.

"Elon is fantastic," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One as he flew to Florida for a long weekend.

Musk, head of Tesla and SpaceX, has drawn fire for overseeing a U.S. bureaucracy overhaul that has triggered the firing of thousands of government employees.

Some recent news reports have suggested Musk could soon leave Trump's side, although it was not clear if Musk would leave before his 130-day mandate as a special government employee expires around late May.

Trump said Musk can stay "as long as he likes."

"He's going to stay a certain period of time and then he's going to get back to his businesses full time. But he's doing a fantastic job," Trump said.

Asked how long he would be staying, Trump said "I would think a few months."