Washington DC - Vice President JD Vance rejected reports of an imminent end to far-right billionaire Elon Musk's role at the White House amid rumors of a rift with President Donald Trump.

Vance told Fox News on Thursday that Musk came in to make government more efficient and to "shrink the incredible, vast bureaucracy."

The administration had said this effort would take about six months, which is what Musk has committed to, but the unelected entrepreneur will continue to be available as a "friend and adviser," Vance added.

Musk has taken a sledgehammer – or chainsaw – to the US administrative state, dismantling agencies that millions of Americans rely on and laying off tens of thousands of employees. Anger at his slashing is growing, with protests against the South African and his businesses spreading across the nation and the world.

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"DOGE has got a lot of work to do, and yeah, that work is going to continue after Elon leaves. But fundamentally, Elon is going to remain a friend and an adviser of both me and the president," Vance insisted.

Citing insiders, Politico and ABC News reported that Trump had suggested that Musk might soon play a smaller role in his administration.

The 78-year-old had previously said that Musk wants to return to his companies someday.

"I think he’s amazing, but I also think he’s got a big company to run," Trump said. "At some point, he’s going to be going back. He wants to. I’d keep him as long as I could keep him."

Musk was conspicuously absent from Wednesday's big "Liberation Day" event at the White House, during which Trump unleashed a raft of damaging tariffs on the world.