Elon Musk officially leaves the White House
Elon Musk Ends White House Role Amid Clashes Over Spending
Elon Musk’s tenure at the White House has come to an end.
The billionaire CEO of Tesla, who had been tapped by President Donald Trump to lead a government waste-cutting initiative, officially stepped down Wednesday, according to a White House official. Musk’s departure followed his public criticism of a Republican spending bill aimed at funding much of Trump’s agenda.
Two sources confirmed to NBC News that Musk’s time as a special government employee—lasting over 114 days—formally concluded Wednesday evening.
In a post on X, Musk acknowledged his exit, 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.”
He also reiterated his vision for the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), calling for it to become “a way of life throughout the government.”
The White House has declined to comment publicly on Musk’s departure. Musk, a temporary special government employee, had been nearing the 130-day limit for such roles. His involvement was first publicly acknowledged on February 3.
His exit comes at a tense moment in his relationship with Trump. Just a day earlier, Musk criticized the new GOP spending bill, calling it a betrayal of his cost-cutting mission. The Congressional Budget Office estimates the bill will add $2.3 trillion to the deficit over the next decade, largely due to tax cut extensions and increased spending.
Originally, Musk aimed to slash $2 trillion in federal expenditures through DOGE—an ambitious goal that was later scaled back. As of Wednesday, the DOGE website claimed $175 billion in savings, though experts have questioned the validity of those figures.
Trump responded to Musk’s critique from the Oval Office, defending the bill’s necessity and political complexity:
“We can’t be cutting everything. We need support to pass things through the House,” he said.
Musk was one of the most visible figures during the early months of Trump’s second term. Having reportedly donated over $250 million to Trump’s 2024 campaign, Musk frequently appeared alongside the president—often wearing a Trump hat and once wielding a chainsaw at CPAC to promote his waste-reduction agenda.
However, tensions grew behind closed doors, with reports of internal conflicts and Musk openly criticizing Trump’s tariff policies. His popularity, along with Tesla’s public image, took a hit. Polls showed waning support, and Tesla faced protests and vandalism. The company’s stock has dropped 11% so far this year.
Despite ongoing friction, Trump continued to show support. In March, he hosted an impromptu Tesla showcase on the South Lawn and even purchased a vehicle himself.
Musk’s political influence also took a blow when Republicans lost a key judicial race in Wisconsin, despite his heavy financial backing. Recently, Musk has signaled a broader retreat from politics, saying he’s returning full-time to his companies and scaling back political donations:
“I don’t currently see a reason,” he wrote on X last week.
While Musk has said DOGE will continue, its future without him is uncertain. Congress is expected to introduce a rescissions package that could codify some of the cuts DOGE proposed.
“We want to make sure that Congress passes its first rescissions bill, including the DOGE [cuts], and we will send more if they pass it,” said OMB Director Russ Vought on Fox Business.
