Elon Musk exits top government role
Elon Musk is leaving his role in the government. A White House official confirmed the move late Wednesday, saying the billionaire’s “off-boarding” would begin the same night.
The exit caps a tumultuous period since U.S. President Donald Trump returned to power vowing to give Musk a big job: “And to that end, I have created the brand new Department of Government Efficiency - DOGE. Perhaps you've heard of it, perhaps, which is headed by Elon Musk, who is in the gallery tonight.”
Musk set out to slash government spending, saying in March he could cut at least $1 trillion off federal expenditures.
“If we don't do something about this deficit, the country’s going bankrupt,” Musk said.
But DOGE attracted huge controversy, with critics saying it was making indiscriminate cuts that threatened vital services without even delivering the promised savings.
Many were also angered by the resulting wave of job losses, with some 260,000 roles cut from the federal workforce. The controversy may also have done deep harm to some of Musk’s businesses.
Tesla sales have slumped in some markets, notably Europe, amid anger over his embrace of far-right politics in some countries.
Some investors have also been concerned that Musk simply had too many roles and wasn’t spending enough time at his various firms.
"Mr President, they say I wear a lot of hats. It's true. Even my hat has a hat," Elon Musk said.
Among the worries Musk faces are an aging model lineup at Tesla, and a series of failed launches at rocket company SpaceX. Now he says he'll devote himself to business again. And Musk says his firms will be revived with world-changing products including humanoid robots and robotaxis.
Signs of a possible rift with Trump had been apparent in recent days.
Musk criticized the president’s big tax bill, saying it was too expensive and undermined DOGE’s efforts to trim the budget deficit.
However, in a post on X, Musk thanked Trump for his time in government. He said the DOGE mission would continue, and only strengthen over time.
