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Elon Musk is reportedly stepping away from DOGE.
However, the White House dismissed the claim as “garbage,” stating that both the tech mogul and Trump insist it was always the plan for the Tesla founder to return to his other responsibilities next month.
One of Trump’s first actions upon returning to office was appointing Elon Musk as head of the newly created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
The advisory board was designed to operate outside the government, with a mission to “dismantle government bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure federal agencies.”
Since its inception, DOGE has overseen the elimination of thousands of federal employees and divisions, aiming to trim $1 trillion from the federal budget.
However, the organization has been mired in controversy from the start, with Musk personally and financially taking the heat for its consequences.
Most notably, Tesla has suffered significantly—its stock prices have plummeted, sales have declined, and dealerships have even been targeted by vandals.
On Wednesday, Politico reported that Trump has informed his inner circle of Musk’s plans to step back from his advisory role.
According to the report: “The president remains pleased with Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency initiative, but both men have recently agreed it’s time for Musk to return to his businesses and take on a more supportive role.”
However, later in the day, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt clarified that the move had always been anticipated.
She tweeted: “This ‘scoop’ is garbage. Elon Musk and President Trump have both publicly stated that Elon will depart from public service as a special government employee once his incredible work at DOGE is complete.”
Musk is officially recognized as a “special government employee,” a designation that limits his workdays to 130 per year. This means his tenure will officially end by the end of May.
The relationship between Trump and Musk seems to be deteriorating. Earlier this month, the president told his cabinet leaders that they, not Musk, are the ones pulling the strings when it comes to firing employees.
Sources say Musk was present when Trump told top officials that the DOGE boss was merely there to recommend who should be let go, but had no actual authority to carry out the firings.
This shift in direction follows Musk’s outspoken stance on cutting government waste. He had previously sent an email to federal employees asking them to list five things they had accomplished that week, with a strict deadline. Musk then took to X, explaining the email was intended to identify “who had a pulse and two working neurons,” and warned that those who failed to respond would “soon be furthering their career elsewhere.”
Trump has already been setting the stage for Musk’s exit, telling reporters on Monday: “I think he’s been amazing, but I also think he’s got a big company to run… And at some point, he’s going to be going back. He wants to,” before adding, “I’d keep him as long as I could keep him.”
