Elon Musk officially steps down from role at DOGE

Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has announced that he will be stepping down from his role as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Musk took to X on Wednesday night to share the news, expressing his gratitude to President Donald Trump for the opportunity to work towards cutting down on wasteful government spending.

In his post, Musk stated that the mission of DOGE will only continue to strengthen over time as it becomes a standard practice throughout the government. The White House has confirmed that Musk’s departure is accurate and the offboarding process will begin Wednesday night.

Since Trump signed an executive order establishing DOGE on January 20, Musk has been at the forefront of the organization’s efforts to identify and eliminate government overspending, corruption, and fraud across federal agencies. As a “special government employee,” a role created by Congress in 1962 for short-term initiatives, Musk’s 130-day timeframe is set to expire on May 30, starting from Inauguration Day.

DOGE, a temporary cross-departmental organization, was created to streamline and slim down the federal government. According to Trump’s executive order, DOGE will be dissolved on July 4, 2026. Musk had previously hinted at his temporary role and departure, with both him and Trump acknowledging that his time in government would be limited.

During an exclusive interview in April, Musk mentioned that he would be stepping back from his role in DOGE, focusing more on his responsibilities at Tesla. Despite facing backlash and protests from Democrats and activists during his time at DOGE, Musk has been lauded by Trump for his efforts to reduce government waste.

While Musk has been the face of DOGE, court filings have revealed that he does not have formal authority to make government decisions and is working as a senior advisor to the president. His work with DOGE has been praised by Trump, who commended Musk for his dedication to streamlining the government and cutting wasteful spending.

As Musk prepares to transition out of his role at DOGE, he remains committed to ensuring that the progress made in reducing waste and fraud within the government is maintained. His departure marks the end of a chapter in his involvement with government efficiency, as he looks forward to focusing more on his work at Tesla.