Elon Musk has announced his departure from the Trump administration, bringing an end to his role as a special advisor and the public face of the government’s cost-cutting campaign. The move comes just one day after the billionaire entrepreneur publicly criticised President Donald Trump’s marquee legislative proposal, which he described as “a massive spending bill” that undermines his work.
Posting on X, his own social media platform, Musk wrote, “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.”
A White House official, speaking anonymously, confirmed Musk’s exit, stating his “off-boarding will begin tonight.”
Musk’s departure as a Special Government Employee was decided “at a senior staff level. Musk did not have a direct conversation with President Trump today before announcing his decision to step down,” according to a source familiar with the matter, as reported by Reuters.
From ally to critic: Musk turns on Trump's key legislation
Musk’s departure came just 24 hours after his CBS interview aired, where he took aim at Trump’s legislative centrepiece—the so-called “big beautiful bill”. The proposal, pushed through the House and now under Senate review, includes a mixture of tax cuts and tighter immigration rules. But it also rolls back clean energy incentives and introduces sharp reductions to social support programmes like Medicaid, while paradoxically expanding the federal deficit.
“I think a bill can be big or it could be beautiful. But I don't know if it could be both,” Musk told CBS.
He added, “I was disappointed to see the massive spending bill, which increases the budget deficit … and undermines the work that the DOGE team is doing.”
His critique drew attention from Republicans too. Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson, speaking at a Milwaukee Press Club event, said, “I sympathise with Elon being discouraged.”
“I’m pretty confident there’s enough opposition to slow this process down until the president, our leadership, gets serious about reducing spending.”
DOGE's mission: A vision cut short
The Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, was Musk’s brainchild—a bold attempt to root out waste, fraud, and redundancy across federal programmes. Launched with fanfare earlier this year, it led to high-profile cuts, including the closure of USAID offices and reductions in foreign assistance.
Initially hailed as a revolutionary reformer by MAGA circles, Musk often voiced admiration for Trump, once saying, “The more I’ve gotten to know President Trump, the more I like the guy. Frankly, I love him.”
Trump responded in kind, once calling Musk “a truly great American”.
But behind the scenes, progress was limited. Musk admitted in a recent interview with The Washington Post that his ambitions were thwarted by the entrenched bureaucracy.
“The federal bureaucracy situation is much worse than I realised,” he said. “It’s an uphill battle trying to improve things in DC, to say the least.”
Despite initially hoping to cut $1 trillion in federal spending, the DOGE team fell well short of that goal.
Politics, profits, and priorities
Musk’s time in government coincided with a sharp decline in Tesla’s financial performance. In April, the company reported a 71% drop in first-quarter profits. Meanwhile, his businesses took direct hits from the bill’s provisions—such as scrapping a $7,500 electric vehicle tax credit and imposing a new $250 annual fee for EVs.
Although Musk had previously supported ending such incentives, the economic strain appears to have reshaped his stance.
He has since confirmed he will reduce political spending, “I think I’ve done enough.”
His return to the private sector will see a renewed focus on Tesla and SpaceX, with a public commitment to pull back from political activity.
Trump, GOP react with mixed signals
Speaking from the Oval Office, Trump defended the bill and acknowledged the complexities of policy-making:
“I’m not happy about certain aspects of it, but I’m thrilled by other aspects of it. We’re going to see what happens. It’s got a way to go.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson urged senators to avoid making changes to the bill, calling it a “very delicate balance”. Nonetheless, he thanked Musk for his contributions and pledged to build on DOGE’s legacy.
“The House is eager and ready to act on DOGE’s findings,” Johnson said.
The White House is also sending a series of rescission proposals to Congress, including plans to cancel $1.1 billion in funding to the Corporation of Public Broadcasting and $8.3 billion in foreign aid.
Whether Musk’s criticism shifts the legislative debate remains unclear. But one thing is certain—his turbulent tenure in Washington has come to a definitive, and dramatic, end.
(With inputs from AP)
Posting on X, his own social media platform, Musk wrote, “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.”
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.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 29, 2025
The @DOGE mission will only strengthen over time as it becomes a way of life throughout the government.
A White House official, speaking anonymously, confirmed Musk’s exit, stating his “off-boarding will begin tonight.”
Musk’s departure as a Special Government Employee was decided “at a senior staff level. Musk did not have a direct conversation with President Trump today before announcing his decision to step down,” according to a source familiar with the matter, as reported by Reuters.
From ally to critic: Musk turns on Trump's key legislation
Musk’s departure came just 24 hours after his CBS interview aired, where he took aim at Trump’s legislative centrepiece—the so-called “big beautiful bill”. The proposal, pushed through the House and now under Senate review, includes a mixture of tax cuts and tighter immigration rules. But it also rolls back clean energy incentives and introduces sharp reductions to social support programmes like Medicaid, while paradoxically expanding the federal deficit.
“I think a bill can be big or it could be beautiful. But I don't know if it could be both,” Musk told CBS.
He added, “I was disappointed to see the massive spending bill, which increases the budget deficit … and undermines the work that the DOGE team is doing.”
His critique drew attention from Republicans too. Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson, speaking at a Milwaukee Press Club event, said, “I sympathise with Elon being discouraged.”
“I’m pretty confident there’s enough opposition to slow this process down until the president, our leadership, gets serious about reducing spending.”
DOGE's mission: A vision cut short
The Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, was Musk’s brainchild—a bold attempt to root out waste, fraud, and redundancy across federal programmes. Launched with fanfare earlier this year, it led to high-profile cuts, including the closure of USAID offices and reductions in foreign assistance.
Initially hailed as a revolutionary reformer by MAGA circles, Musk often voiced admiration for Trump, once saying, “The more I’ve gotten to know President Trump, the more I like the guy. Frankly, I love him.”
Trump responded in kind, once calling Musk “a truly great American”.
But behind the scenes, progress was limited. Musk admitted in a recent interview with The Washington Post that his ambitions were thwarted by the entrenched bureaucracy.
“The federal bureaucracy situation is much worse than I realised,” he said. “It’s an uphill battle trying to improve things in DC, to say the least.”
Despite initially hoping to cut $1 trillion in federal spending, the DOGE team fell well short of that goal.
Politics, profits, and priorities
Musk’s time in government coincided with a sharp decline in Tesla’s financial performance. In April, the company reported a 71% drop in first-quarter profits. Meanwhile, his businesses took direct hits from the bill’s provisions—such as scrapping a $7,500 electric vehicle tax credit and imposing a new $250 annual fee for EVs.
Although Musk had previously supported ending such incentives, the economic strain appears to have reshaped his stance.
He has since confirmed he will reduce political spending, “I think I’ve done enough.”
His return to the private sector will see a renewed focus on Tesla and SpaceX, with a public commitment to pull back from political activity.
Trump, GOP react with mixed signals
Speaking from the Oval Office, Trump defended the bill and acknowledged the complexities of policy-making:
“I’m not happy about certain aspects of it, but I’m thrilled by other aspects of it. We’re going to see what happens. It’s got a way to go.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson urged senators to avoid making changes to the bill, calling it a “very delicate balance”. Nonetheless, he thanked Musk for his contributions and pledged to build on DOGE’s legacy.
“The House is eager and ready to act on DOGE’s findings,” Johnson said.
The White House is also sending a series of rescission proposals to Congress, including plans to cancel $1.1 billion in funding to the Corporation of Public Broadcasting and $8.3 billion in foreign aid.
Whether Musk’s criticism shifts the legislative debate remains unclear. But one thing is certain—his turbulent tenure in Washington has come to a definitive, and dramatic, end.
(With inputs from AP)
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