Elon Musk has officially concluded his involvement with the Trump administration, wrapping up a turbulent chapter in which he played a central role in drastically downsizing the U.S. federal workforce.
Announcing his departure via his platform X, the billionaire entrepreneur expressed gratitude to former President Donald Trump for entrusting him with leadership of the Department of Government Efficiency—commonly referred to as Doge. The initiative aimed to slash government waste and reduce bureaucratic overhead.
Numerous media outlets reported that Musk’s exit process started on Wednesday evening, officially concluding his stint as a “special government employee.” While his departure was expected, it came shortly after he openly criticized Trump’s most recent budget plan.
“My scheduled service term as a Special Government Employee has concluded,” Musk posted. “I’m thankful to President @realDonaldTrump for the chance to help eliminate unnecessary spending. The mission of @DOGE will only grow stronger as it becomes ingrained in our federal systems.”
Under federal law, Musk’s temporary designation allowed him to serve up to 130 days per year. That timeline aligned with the end of May, based on Trump’s January 20 inauguration.
However, his exit came just a day after voicing disappointment in Trump’s budget plan—which includes sweeping tax cuts and expanded defense funding. In an interview with CBS, Musk warned the proposal would inflate the national deficit and undercut the objectives of Doge.
“A bill can be big or it can be beautiful,” Musk remarked. “But I’m not sure it can be both.”
Initially, Musk had set an ambitious goal to cut $2 trillion from federal spending, later revising that figure down to $150 billion. According to reports, around 260,000 government employees either lost their jobs or accepted severance packages due to Doge’s cost-cutting measures. The program even triggered legal pushback, with courts ordering the reinstatement of some workers—among them personnel from sensitive sectors like the nuclear program.
Musk began stepping back from his government duties in late April, citing mounting backlash and disruptions to his business ventures.
“Doge was turning into a scapegoat,” he told The Washington Post ahead of a SpaceX launch in Texas. “Anything that went wrong was pinned on us, even when we had no involvement.”
His government tenure coincided with turbulent times for Tesla. The automaker posted a 13% drop in sales for the first quarter of the year—the sharpest decline in its history. While Tesla’s stock has recovered slightly, it remains 10% lower than before. The company has also withheld growth forecasts, citing shifting political climates as a potential threat to demand.
On a recent earnings call, Musk assured investors that he would significantly reduce his time spent on Doge and refocus on Tesla operations.
Meanwhile, opposition to Musk’s political involvement has intensified, with activists staging demonstrations, vandalizing Tesla vehicles, and even damaging charging stations. In response, Attorney General Pam Bondi declared such acts would be prosecuted as domestic terrorism.
Despite the backlash, Musk reaffirmed his long-term leadership at Tesla during an economic forum in Qatar. He also revealed plans to scale back his political contributions after spending nearly $300 million supporting Trump and other Republican candidates in the previous year.
