Elon Musk is officially stepping away from the Trump administration after a whirlwind 130-day tenure that redefined — and at times disrupted — how Washington operates. The Tesla and SpaceX CEO confirmed late Wednesday that he is leaving his role as a special government employee overseeing the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), though he insists the mission is far from over.
“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,” Musk posted on X. “The @DOGE mission will only strengthen over time as it becomes a way of life throughout the government.”
Musk’s departure was expected, as federal rules limited his government service to 130 days per year. But the timing raised eyebrows, coming just one day after he slammed Trump’s latest tax and budget bill — the centerpiece of the president’s second-term legislative agenda — as “massively expensive” and counterproductive to DOGE’s goals.
In an interview with CBS, Musk quipped: “I think a bill can be big or it can be beautiful. But I don’t know if it can be both.”
DOGE, which Musk spearheaded with his trademark audacity, slashed an estimated 260,000 federal jobs through buyouts, early retirements, and restructuring. But it wasn’t without missteps — court rulings reversed some cuts, and even essential personnel, like those in nuclear oversight, were mistakenly let go.
Behind the scenes, Musk clashed with several cabinet secretaries and grew frustrated by political blowback. “Doge is just becoming the whipping boy for everything,” he told The Washington Post this week.
Meanwhile, Tesla has suffered: sales dropped 13% in Q1 — the steepest decline in its history — and Musk has faced shareholder pressure to refocus. Activist-led Tesla boycotts and vandalism prompted federal intervention.
Despite the tumult, Musk said Tuesday at an economic forum in Qatar that he remains committed to leading Tesla for the next five years. He also pledged to scale back political spending after contributing nearly $300 million to Trump and GOP causes last year.
While Musk may be leaving Washington, the legacy of his controversial efficiency crusade — and the DOGE blueprint — appears set to linger.
