Global (Commonwealth Union) In a significant move, tech mogul Elon Musk announced that he would be taking a step back from his role in the Trump administration on Wednesday. Following a short term where he helped in leading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), an initiative that focused on government efficiency and the minimization of wasteful spending, the Tesla CEO bid farewell to Trump’s Cabinet, claiming that he had so far saved $160 billion.
Posting on his social media platform X, Musk thanked President Donald Trump for the opportunity of working with DOGE but emphasised that “The DOGE mission will only strengthen over time as it becomes a way of life throughout the government.”
Having been designated as a “special government employee”, which, according to the Department of Justice sets a working term of 130 days or less than a year, his exit roughly coincides with the specified period, which would draw to a close end of May.
However, this departure also follows a conflict regarding President Donald Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” which the tech giant claimed during an interview with CBS would “undermine the work that the DOGE team is doing” and also increase the federal deficit.
Elon Musk’s time at the White House also coincides with a significant decline in Tesla sales this year, with protests in front of Tesla showrooms and reports of vandalism of Tesla cars and charging stations.
During a Tesla earnings call last month, Musk reportedly informed investors that the majority of work needed to establish DOGE has been completed, and while he will be occasionally looking into its work “for as long as the president would like me to do so, and as long as it’s useful”, he will be spending more time on his company Tesla.
During a cabinet meeting at the White House last month, President Trump acknowledged Musk’s foreseeable step back from his administration and spoke again on Wednesday, thanking Musk for his help, stating that he had “sacrificed a lot” and has been treated “unfairly,” he said, referring to the wave of protests Tesla dealerships faced due to Musk’s political ventures.
Musk further commented on this topic in an interview with Bloomsbury on Tuesday and mentioned that following last year’s election, where he supported President Trump and his administration, he will be reducing his political spending significantly.
