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Tech billionaire, Elon Musk, announced Wednesday evening that his time in the Trump administration has come to an end, concluding his tenure as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a special government office created to identify and reduce federal spending.
Musk, who was granted Special Government Employee status to lead the department, oversaw sweeping efforts to trim the federal workforce and scale back programs during his brief but high-profile tenure, CNN reported.
“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 posted on X, the social media platform he owns.
“The @DOGE mission will only strengthen over time as it becomes a way of life throughout the government.”
CNN previously reported that DOGE was expected to continue its work even after Musk’s departure, with embedded staffers remaining across federal agencies for months or even years to come.
Musk, who was limited by law to 130 days of government service in his special employee role, began the off boarding process Wednesday night, a White House official confirmed.
In recent weeks, Musk had gradually stepped back from his government role to refocus on his business ventures, including SpaceX and Tesla, both of which have faced market and operational challenges partly attributed to his alignment with the Trump administration.
His exit follows public criticism of President Donald Trump’s latest tax and spending package — a sweeping bill that includes trillions in tax cuts, expanded military and national security spending, and major overhauls to health and energy programs.
In a recent interview with CBS Sunday Morning, Musk expressed concern that the legislation would balloon the federal deficit and undercut the very efficiency efforts DOGE was pursuing.
“I was disappointed to see the massive spending bill, frankly, which increases the budget deficit, not just decreases it, and undermines the work that the DOGE team is doing,” Musk said. “I think a bill can be big or it can be beautiful, but I don’t know if it can be both.”
The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates the bill would add an additional $3.8 trillion to the deficit over the next decade.
President Trump, responding Wednesday, dismissed Musk’s remarks, saying he expected revisions as the legislation moves through the Senate. “There are things in the bill I don’t like either,” Trump said, adding that negotiations are ongoing.
House Speaker Mike Johnson also weighed in, signaling that House Republicans are eager to formalize spending cuts based on DOGE’s recommendations once the Trump administration makes an official request to Congress.
Under Musk’s leadership during the first four months of Trump’s second term, DOGE made a dramatic impact, with at least 121,000 federal employees laid off or targeted for downsizing within the first 100 days.
Thousands more accepted buyout offers. Several grants and federal programs were scaled back or eliminated entirely — though some were later reinstated following legal challenges.
The administration has not provided a clear outline of DOGE’s size or its operational plans following Musk’s departure.
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