Elon Musk is walking away after a tempestuous stint leading President Donald Trump’s government spending taskforce.
The billionaire Tesla and SpaceX CEO announced Wednesday evening he was wrapping up his role at the Department of Government Efficiency after days of tit-for-tat with the Trump administration.
“As my scheduled time as a Special Government Employee comes to an end, I would like to thank President @realDonaldTrump for the opportunity to reduce wasteful spending,“ he posted on his social media platform, X. ”The @DOGE mission will only strengthen over time as it becomes a way of life throughout the government.”
Musk was designated a “special government employee,” which means he could only work 130 days of each year. May 30 marks 130 days since Trump’s inauguration.
A White House official anonymously confirmed Musk’s departure to the Associated Press, and the New York Times reported, citing officials, that Musk remains on good terms with Trump. The Daily Beast has approached the White House for comment.
Cracks have emerged in the pair’s relationship, however. The billionaire also took a shot at Trump’s signature bill on his way out. In a teaser for a forthcoming interview with CBS News’ Sunday Morning that dropped Tuesday, Musk said he was “disappointed” to see Trump’s “big, beautiful” bill, which the businessman said “increases the budget deficit, not just decreases it, and undermines the work that the DOGE team is doing.”
The comment prompted rebukes from several Trump administration officials and an acknowledgement from the president himself, who told reporters, “we have a lot of support. We had to get it through the House.”
Musk took on his role as Trump’s self-styled “first buddy” with a pledge to reduce government spending by $2 trillion. He moved the goalposts on the job, and said in April he expected to trim $150 billion by the end of the 2026 financial year.
Musk signaled last month that he would step back from his role at DOGE to refocus on his businesses, which appeared to be floundering as his public image circled the drain.
Sales of his electric cars had plummeted in several major markets, prompting concern from investors. His last three SpaceX Starship test flights have gone up in flames.
His tenure as Trump’s seemingly ever-present adviser was marked by persistent controversy, which analysts believe likely alienated some consumers and impacted his company brands.
Members of Trump’s inner circle, with whom Musk clashed, had also reportedly begun to view him as a political liability. Musk has been absent from the spotlight for weeks.
Stephen Miller, Trump’s deputy chief of staff, praised DOGE’s work as “among the most valuable services ever rendered to government” after Musk’s announcement.
“And the work has only just begun,” he added.
