Elon Musk recently announced on social media that he is leaving his position in the Trump administration. The billionaire shared that his tenure as a Special Government Employee had ended and expressed gratitude to President Trump for the opportunity to work on reducing wasteful spending.
In a post on X, Musk highlighted the future of his project, the “department of government efficiency” (DOGE), saying it would continue to grow stronger as a guiding principle for government operations.
A White House official confirmed that Musk’s departure had begun immediately, with off-boarding processes already underway. Reports indicate that Musk did not hold a formal meeting with Trump before making his decision public. Instead, the decision was finalized at a senior staff level.
During his 130-day tenure, Musk had significant influence in the Trump administration, spearheading efforts to overhaul government structures. While his time as a special government employee was set to expire at the end of May, Musk emphasized that DOGE’s mission to streamline and shrink the federal government would persist.
Musk recently criticized Trump’s tax bill, calling it overly expensive and counterproductive to his goals of improving efficiency. “The federal bureaucracy is worse than I imagined,” Musk stated in an interview. “Trying to fix things in DC is a steep uphill battle.”
Under the initiatives led by Trump and DOGE, the federal civilian workforce saw a reduction of nearly 12%, equivalent to approximately 260,000 employees. These changes were achieved through layoffs, buyouts, and early retirement offers, according to Reuters.
Musk’s political role has not been without backlash. Protests and investor dissatisfaction emerged, with many urging Musk to dedicate more attention to Tesla. Critics questioned his involvement in government reforms, with some suggesting he should step back from politics altogether.
Despite spending nearly $300 million supporting Trump’s campaign and other Republican candidates, Musk recently announced he would significantly reduce his political donations. At an economic forum in Qatar, Musk remarked, “I think I’ve done enough.”
