Elon Musk announces exit from US government role a day after criticizing Trump’s tax bill

Elon Musk has announced on social media that he is leaving his role in the Trump administration.

“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 billionaire wrote on X, his social media platform.

“The DOGE mission will only strengthen over time as it becomes a way of life throughout the government,” he said, referring to his “department of government efficiency.”

A White House official told Reuters it was accurate that Musk is leaving the administration and his “off-boarding will begin tonight.”

His departure was quick and unceremonious. He did not have a formal conversation with Trump before announcing his exit, according to a source with knowledge of the matter, who added that his departure was decided “at a senior staff level.”

Musk, the world’s richest person, has defended his role as an unelected official who was granted unprecedented authority by Trump to dismantle parts of the US government. His 130-day mandate as a special government employee in the Trump administration was set to expire about 30 May.

Both Musk and the administration have said DOGE’s efforts to restructure and shrink the federal government will continue.

He recently criticised the president’s marquee tax bill, calling it too expensive and a measure that would undermine his work to make the government more “efficient.”

“The federal bureaucracy situation is much worse than I realised,” Musk told the Washington Post on Tuesday. “I thought there were problems, but it sure is an uphill battle trying to improve things in DC, to say the least.”

Trump and DOGE have managed to cut nearly 12%, or 260,000, of the 2.3 million-strong federal civilian workforce largely through threats of firings, buyouts, and early retirement offers, a Reuters review of agency departures found.

Musk’s political activities have drawn protests, and some investors have called for Musk to leave his position as Trump’s adviser and manage Tesla more closely.

Having spent nearly $300m to back Trump’s presidential campaign and other Republicans last year, he said earlier this month he would substantially cut his political spending. “I think I’ve done enough,” Musk said at an economic forum in Qatar.

Share on:  Whatsapp  Twitter  Facebook