Elon Musk has stepped down from his role in the Trump administration after months of pushing for major cuts in government spending. The Tesla and SpaceX CEO, who was appointed by President Donald Trump to lead the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), left the post quietly and without a formal farewell meeting with the president.
Musk announced his exit on Wednesday through a post on his social platform, X, thanking Trump for the opportunity. A White House official later confirmed that Musk’s departure was effective immediately.
The billionaire’s time in government was short but intense. He took the job intending to cut wasteful federal spending, especially targeting agencies like USAID. Musk had promised to save up to $2 trillion in government costs. However, the official savings reported by DOGE stand at around $175 billion a figure that remains unverified.
Tensions between Musk and top officials in the White House had been growing. His criticism of Trump’s recent tax and spending bill, which Musk called too expensive, reportedly angered several key aides. Some sources say his public remarks forced the White House to reassure Republican senators that Trump still supported the legislation.
Throughout his time in office, Musk often clashed with senior cabinet members and openly criticized other officials. He once referred to Trump’s trade adviser, Peter Navarro, as “dumber than a sack of bricks.” Though Musk stayed close to the president, many in the administration began pushing back, especially after Trump reminded department heads that staffing decisions were not Musk’s to make.
Musk’s aggressive cost-cutting moves created friction across Washington. His proposals to roll back remote work and push for voluntary resignations drew strong reactions from government employees and unions. Some departments even faced setbacks, such as rising costs and reduced efficiency, after deep staff cuts and restructuring.
Still, Musk defended his mission to make the government leaner. But by late April, he had already hinted at scaling back his public service role to focus more on his private companies. In a recent interview, he said, “The federal bureaucracy situation is much worse than I realized.”
With his 130-day government term nearing its end, Musk’s departure doesn’t mean the end of DOGE. The Trump administration has promised that the agency’s work will continue, though more under the control of traditional cabinet secretaries. As for Musk, he says he’s ready to reduce his political involvement and focus on business.
“I think I’ve done enough,” he said earlier this month at a forum in Qatar.
By Yockshard Enyendi