Elon Musk has officially departed the Trump administration following the conclusion of his term as a special government employee overseeing the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency, commonly referred to as DOGE. Musk’s exit brings an end to a polarizing chapter marked by sweeping federal cuts, sharp political disagreements, and mounting scrutiny over his dual roles as a business magnate and government reformer.
In a statement posted to his platform, X, Musk noted that his tenure was always intended to be temporary, stating that his “scheduled time” as a government advisor had concluded. As a special government employee, Musk was legally restricted from working more than 130 days in a 12-month span, a classification that also exempted him from traditional disclosure and ethics requirements applied to full-time federal employees.
Musk thanked President Donald Trump for the opportunity to lead DOGE, reiterating his belief that the department’s core mission—to reduce government waste—would grow stronger in his absence. A White House official later confirmed that Musk’s offboarding process would begin immediately.
His departure comes just days after a significant disagreement with the president over the recently passed federal spending bill, nicknamed the “One Big Beautiful Bill.” Musk publicly criticized the bill for expanding the federal deficit, contradicting DOGE’s mission to slash spending. Speaking with CBS News, he expressed disappointment over the budget deal, claiming it undermined months of cost-cutting work conducted by DOGE.
Musk’s involvement in the federal government had long been the subject of heated public debate. While the billionaire entered the role pledging to streamline bloated bureaucracies and eliminate redundant programs, his tactics and the speed of implementation created widespread turmoil across federal agencies. Many departments were forced to scale back operations dramatically, with some reporting mass layoffs and program eliminations based on political, rather than performance-based, assessments.
Federal employee unions and watchdog groups filed lawsuits accusing DOGE of bypassing hiring norms, concealing internal data, and enforcing ideologically driven terminations. In parallel, a coalition of 14 states launched legal action claiming Musk’s appointment had violated procedural standards.
Despite these challenges, Musk remained a prominent and controversial figure in Washington. In February, he sat beside Trump for a nationally televised Fox News interview where both men exchanged praise. Yet by May, relations had visibly cooled. The president has yet to issue a formal response to Musk’s departure, although he has remained active on social media, posting unrelated content since the news broke.
Musk’s efforts at DOGE were repeatedly met with public skepticism. A Washington Post analysis earlier this year revealed that the agency had exaggerated its reported savings of $55 billion, with a large portion of the claimed savings stemming from contracts that had already been completed. Following the report, DOGE revised its total down by $9.3 billion.
Internally, Musk faced growing frustration with the slow pace of bureaucratic change. In an interview this week, he described the federal bureaucracy as “much worse than I realized,” acknowledging that his initial expectations were overly optimistic. Musk admitted that pushing for government reform was significantly more difficult than anticipated.
Meanwhile, his businesses experienced severe turbulence. Tesla, his flagship electric vehicle company, saw profits plummet 71% in the first quarter of the year, alongside a sharp drop in vehicle sales. Analysts largely blamed Musk’s association with the Trump administration for damaging the company’s public image and weakening consumer trust. Some shareholders reportedly urged him to step away from politics to refocus on corporate priorities.
The DOGE project, while ambitious in design, ultimately alienated many within the federal workforce. Long-serving employees described a hostile environment shaped by political loyalty tests and abrupt terminations. Whistleblowers claimed that entire teams were eliminated for resisting cost-cutting measures that conflicted with statutory obligations or agency mandates.
Criticism also came from lawmakers. Representative Greg Casar, a Democrat from Texas, welcomed Musk’s exit, framing it as a victory for public service and accountability. In contrast, Senator Ted Cruz, a Republican from Musk’s home state, defended his work and highlighted the personal risks Musk endured during his time in government, including death threats.
As Musk transitions back to his companies full time, his influence in Washington remains uncertain. Both SpaceX and Starlink maintain significant contracts with the federal government, and Musk continues to lobby for favorable regulatory frameworks. However, his political activities may shift. Although he was a major donor during the 2024 election cycle—contributing over $288 million to Trump-aligned campaigns—he recently suggested that he might scale back political spending unless a compelling reason arises.
At the Qatar Economic Forum last week, Musk signaled a cooling in his political ambitions, stating: “I don’t currently see a reason [to spend politically],” though he left open the possibility for future engagement.
Tesla, meanwhile, is preparing to launch its first fully autonomous vehicle in Austin, a rollout Musk described as “critical” to the company’s future. However, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration continues to investigate several Tesla crashes involving its self-driving features. These probes could impact the company’s ability to deploy new technologies.
SpaceX, Musk’s aerospace venture, also faces technical hurdles. The latest Starship launch—intended as a step toward Mars exploration—ended in failure after the rocket lost control mid-flight and exploded. The incident underscores the high-stakes nature of Musk’s private sector ventures at a time when his attention may be needed more than ever.
In a separate interview with Ars Technica, Musk acknowledged that his foray into politics may have been overextended, remarking, “I probably did spend a bit too much time on politics.” The comment marked a rare moment of reflection for the billionaire, whose controversial decisions over the past year reshaped both Washington and Silicon Valley.
As Musk exits the federal stage, questions linger about the long-term impact of DOGE’s initiatives and whether any lasting efficiencies were achieved amid the upheaval. For now, Musk appears to be refocusing his energies on technology and space exploration, leaving behind a legacy in government defined as much by disruption as by reform.