Elon Musk, the billionaire behind Tesla and SpaceX, has announced that his time as the leader of President Donald Trump’s cost-cutting task force is nearing its conclusion.
In a tweet on his platform X, Musk expressed his gratitude to Trump for the opportunity to head the Department of Government Efficiency, also known as Doge.
As a “special government employee,” Musk was permitted to hold a federal position for up to 130 days annually. Starting from the date of Trump’s inauguration on January 20th, he will reach this limit by the end of May.
Musk’s departure follows his criticism of Trump’s controversial budget bill, the central piece of the president’s policy agenda.
“With my time as a Special Government Employee concluding, I’d like to thank President @realDonaldTrump for the chance to reduce wasteful government spending,” Musk announced on X.
“The @DOGE mission will only get stronger over time, as it becomes ingrained in government operations nationwide,” he added.
According to the BBC, Musk will officially step down from his role as a special government employee as early as Wednesday night.
Musk’s critique of Trump’s budget, which suggests multitrillion-dollar tax cuts and increased military spending, was a decision that didn’t sit well with the tech mogul. He believes it could enlarge the federal deficit and undermine the work of Doge.
The Republican donor’s involvement in politics has been marked by upheaval, turning him into one of Trump’s closest advisors while seeing a downturn in Tesla’s profits.
Recent warnings from Tesla to investors suggest that the company’s financial struggle could continue, suggesting that changing political attitudes could significantly harm vehicle demand.
Musk informed investors during a recent earnings call that he will spend less time on Doge and more on Tesla.
