Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk has officially concluded his role as a Special Government Employee advising the Trump administration, marking his exit from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a body he helped establish to reduce government waste.
Musk expressed gratitude to President Donald Trump for the opportunity to spearhead efforts focused on curtailing wasteful spending. He indicated that his scheduled term was ending and emphasized that the mission of DOGE will endure and continue to evolve within government operations.
In a message posted on the social platform X, Musk stated,
"As my scheduled time as a Special Government Employee comes to an end, I would like to thank President Trump 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 departure comes shortly after Musk openly criticized the Trump administration’s recently introduced "Big, Beautiful" spending bill. Despite claims by the administration that the bill would save over $1.6 trillion in mandatory spending and represent the largest welfare reform ever, Musk voiced his disappointment with the legislation. Speaking to CBS News, Musk remarked,
"I was disappointed to see the massive spending bill, frankly, which increases the deficit and undermines the work that the DOGE team is doing. I think a bill can be big or it can be beautiful, but I don’t know if it can be both."
In response, President Trump acknowledged ongoing negotiations, saying, "We will be negotiating that bill, and I’m not happy about certain aspects of it, but I’m thrilled by other aspects of it."
Previously, during a Tesla earnings call, Musk had confirmed his intent to step away from governmental duties to focus more intently on his companies, including Tesla and SpaceX. He stated, "Starting next month, I’ll be allocating far more of my time to Tesla, now that the major work of establishing the Department of Government Efficiency is done."
Musk’s tenure at DOGE was marked by efforts to introduce efficiency reforms across government agencies, though his departure signals a shift back to his primary business ventures. The DOGE initiative is expected to continue advancing governmental efficiency beyond Musk’s involvement.
