Elon Musk has announced his departure from his advisory role within the US government, where he collaborated with President Donald Trump to reduce federal spending and improve bureaucratic efficiency.
The Tesla CEO and billionaire revealed on May 29, 2025, via the social media platform X, that his term as a Special Government Employee with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) was concluding.
"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 tweeted. "The @DOGE mission will only strengthen over time as it becomes a way of life throughout the government."
Musk's exit follows shortly after he openly criticized President Trump’s recent "big, beautiful" spending bill, stating it exacerbates the budget deficit and undermines the efforts of the DOGE initiative. "A bill can be big, or it can be beautiful. But I don’t know if it can be both. My personal opinion," Musk remarked.
Musk’s advisory term, which lasted approximately 130 days, was set to conclude around May 30. Despite his departure, the Trump administration has affirmed that reforms aimed at streamlining the federal government will continue under the DOGE program.
In a statement from the Oval Office, President Trump acknowledged mixed feelings about the spending legislation. "I’m not happy with some parts of it, but I’m very pleased with others," he said, adding that further amendments may be forthcoming. "We’ll see what happens. It still has a long way to go."
This development marks a significant shift in the collaboration between Musk and the Trump administration concerning federal government efficiency and spending reforms.
