Pratiksha Ghosh
Washington, D.C. , May 29:Elon Musk has officially stepped away from his advisory role within the Trump administration, bringing an end to a controversial and high-profile effort to streamline the federal government.
The tech billionaire had been serving as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a position he used to promote deep spending cuts and structural reforms.
Musk’s exit was confirmed Wednesday evening via a post on X, the social media platform he owns. In his announcement, he thanked President Donald Trump for the opportunity to serve and emphasized that the mission of government efficiency would endure.
"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 wrote.
“The @DOGE mission will only strengthen over time as it becomes a way of life throughout the government."
Musk’s tenure was marked by sweeping proposals to slash federal expenditures. However, internal resistance and political pushback blunted the scope of his reforms. Initially aiming for $2 trillion in cuts, Musk later reduced his target significantly — first to $1 trillion, and then to just $150 billion.
His aggressive approach reportedly caused friction with senior officials across multiple departments, many of whom were wary of his attempts to reorganize federal operations. The disruption led to lawsuits, mass layoffs, and tensions within the administration.
Though his role was always intended to be temporary, the timing of Musk's departure has raised eyebrows. It came just one day after a CBS interview aired in which Musk publicly criticized the president’s flagship legislative proposal — dubbed the “big beautiful bill.” The package includes a combination of tax reductions and strict immigration measures but also carries significant increases in federal spending.
Musk said in the interview that
"I was disappointed,” and “It’s a huge spending package that adds to the deficit and runs counter to the goals we set at DOGE. A bill can be big, or it can be beautiful , I’m not convinced it can be both."
A White House official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, confirmed Musk’s departure and indicated that the administration is already considering the next phase for DOGE without him at the helm.
Musk now plans to refocus on his private ventures, including Tesla and SpaceX, amid a challenging stint in Washington that highlighted the stark contrast between the pace of government and that of Silicon Valley.
