Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk has officially stepped down from his role as a Special Government Employee in the Trump administration, marking the end of a controversial tenure overseeing the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
Musk, who was appointed to spearhead cost-cutting measures within the federal government, announced his departure on his social media platform, X, stating, “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. The DOGE mission will only strengthen over time as it becomes a way of life throughout the government.”
His exit comes just a day after he publicly criticized Trump’s latest budget bill, calling it contradictory to DOGE’s mission. Musk expressed concerns that the bill, which includes multi-trillion-dollar tax breaks and increased defense spending, would significantly inflate the federal deficit.
During his tenure, Musk led aggressive cost-cutting initiatives that resulted in the elimination or buyout of approximately 260,000 federal positions. While his efforts were praised by some fiscal conservatives, they also faced legal challenges, with courts overturning certain terminations deemed unlawful.
Musk’s departure coincides with turbulence in his business empire, as Tesla reported a historic 13% drop in vehicle deliveries in the first quarter of 2025. His decision to step away from government service signals a renewed focus on his private ventures, with Musk stating, “The time I allocate to DOGE will drop significantly. I will be allocating far more of my time to Tesla.”