Dave Portnoy reveals why he turned down role in Trump administration while taking potshots at Elon Musk

WASHINGTON, DC: Dave Portnoy has never been one to hold back, and his latest revelations about the Trump administration are no exception.

The Barstool Sports founder recently claimed he was approached to join President Donald Trump’s Department of Commerce, but he turned down the opportunity because he wasn’t willing to step away from his media empire during his appearance on Fox's 'Varney & Co'.

Dave Portnoy reveals why he declined role in Donald Trump's administration

During his appearance on Fox’s 'Varney & Co', Dave Portnoy revealed that he was offered a role in the current administration. He said, “They said a condition would be I can't run Barstool Sports. Do you have somebody who could run it?"

Portnoy said that while he wasn't entirely sure how serious the offer was, he made it clear that stepping away from his company was a dealbreaker, the Daily Mail reported.

“Now, I don’t know if it was serious if I said yes, but if you’re running a company, it’s tough to also run the government, it would seem,” he added.

While discussing leadership, Portnoy also took a moment to both praise and question Elon Musk, specifically regarding his recent focus on DOGE.

He said that while he admires Musk’s efforts to cut government spending, he wonders how present the tech billionaire actually is in running his own company, Tesla.

“I’m a big stockholder of Tesla, and I certainly raise my eyebrows. I like DOGE, I like what they’re doing. But let me tell you this: if you’re going to send out, and you got to call it both ways, if you’re going to send emails to federal workers and say, ‘What have you done for the last five days?’ I think Tesla shareholders are entitled to ask their CEO, Elon Musk, ‘What have you done for Tesla the last five days?’”

Portnoy then pointed out Tesla’s recent struggles, noting, “Seemingly all he cares about right now is DOGE. Now, could it be a coincidence that the stock is down 25% since he really started this? I guess.”

Despite a brief rise in Tesla’s stock after Trump returned to the White House, the company is on track for its worst month on record. Portnoy didn’t hold back in his concerns.

He said, “But I think it’s fair, as a shareholder of Tesla, to say, ‘What are you doing for Tesla shareholders?’ Now, maybe you’re greasing the wheels, and you’ll get some deals through the government. I don’t know, but it’s certainly in bounds to ask.” 

Dave Portnoy expresses frustration with Trump administration 

Dave Portnoy, a vocal Donald Trump supporter, also took to X (formerly Twitter) to air his grievances with the new administration. In a rare moment of public dissatisfaction, he fired off several questions at the president and his administration.

He asked, “If I’m gonna be fair, these questions need to be asked today. Why is the release of the Epstein list always a s**t show? What’s the point of booting out illegals and criminals while somehow becoming a safe haven for the Tate brothers?"  

The president of Barstool Sports also took potshots at DOGE head Elon Musk while asking, "Why is Crypto in the toilet if Trump is crypto king? How far does Tesla stock have to crash before Elon goes back to work?” 

This marks the first time Portnoy has openly expressed frustration with Trump since endorsing him in last year’s election.

Despite his recent concerns, Portnoy remains a strong supporter of Trump. After Trump’s decisive victory last November, Portnoy explained why he threw his support behind him.

“He didn’t just win, he won for fun. He won the electoral, he won the popular vote, he got more votes than last time he was president. Just a total ringing endorsement for the Republicans and Donald Trump, and an indictment against the Democrats, and that’s really this rant,” he had said at the time. 

He also blamed the Democrats for pushing moderates like himself toward Trump. “Some people are asking, ‘How did Donald Trump get more votes than he did last time?’ Well, here’s the answer: People like myself, independents or moderates, the Democrats gave us no choice. The Democrats gave us no choice. That was the worst campaign, and their pure arrogance and moral superiority have driven people away.”