Elon Musk has formally announced his departure from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), ending his 130-day tenure as a special government employee under President Donald Trump. Musk confirmed the move in a post on X Wednesday night, stating: "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's offboarding marks the conclusion of his temporary role with DOGE, a cross-departmental task force created by Trump via executive order on Jan. 20 to target government waste, fraud, and inefficiency. A White House official confirmed the offboarding began Wednesday night.
"The @DOGE mission will only strengthen over time as it becomes a way of life throughout the government," Musk added in his post. His role, authorized under a 1962 provision permitting limited federal service of up to 130 days annually, officially expires on May 30.
DOGE, initially established by renaming the United States Digital Service, is set to disband on July 4, 2026. Musk's departure had long been anticipated. "I think we will have accomplished most of the work required to reduce the deficit by a trillion dollars within that timeframe," Musk told Fox News' Bret Baier in April.
Trump addressed Musk's limited term in March, telling reporters, "I think he's amazing. But I also think he's got a big company to run... I'd keep him as long as I can keep him." During a March address to Congress, Trump publicly thanked Musk: "He didn't need this... Everybody here, even this side, appreciates it, I believe."
Although Musk held no formal authority over DOGE operations, court filings clarified he served as a senior advisor to the White House. Amy Gleason, acting administrator of DOGE, wrote: "Elon Musk does not work at USDS. I do not report to him, and he does not report to me."
Musk's participation drew criticism from Democrats and activists, including protests aimed at Tesla. Tesla, meanwhile, has signaled headwinds due to political entanglements. The company declined to issue a growth forecast during its April earnings call and warned that "changing political sentiment" could dampen demand.
On that call, Musk signaled his focus was shifting back. "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," he said. Still, he committed to spending "a day or two per week on government matters... as long as it is useful."
Musk also expressed frustration with Trump's recently proposed "big, beautiful" budget bill, telling CBS he was "disappointed," arguing it "undermines the work" of DOGE by expanding defense spending and pushing multi-trillion-dollar tax breaks.
Despite their recent policy split, Musk reaffirmed his political allegiance after the July 13, 2024, assassination attempt against Trump. "I fully endorse President Trump and hope for his rapid recovery," Musk wrote on X, posting footage of Trump wounded but defiant.
