Tech billionaire Elon Musk has officially announced his departure from President Donald Trump’s administration, ending a 130-day stint as a Special Government Employee tasked with slashing federal bureaucracy and inefficiency.
Musk, who spearheaded the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) under Trump’s directive, confirmed the end of his government role in a post on X (formerly Twitter) late Wednesday evening.
“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,” Musk wrote. “The @DOGE mission will only strengthen over time as it becomes a way of life throughout the government.”
Criticism of Trump’s ‘Big Beautiful Bill’
The announcement follows Musk’s sharp criticism of President Trump’s recently unveiled legislative centerpiece, which includes tax cuts and stricter immigration enforcement but also dramatically expands federal spending.
In a Tuesday interview with CBS, Musk expressed deep disappointment, calling it a “massive spending bill” that “undermines the work” he had been leading at DOGE.
“I think a bill can be big or it could be beautiful,” Musk quipped. “But I don’t know if it could be both.”
Trump Responds, Republicans Divided
Speaking from the Oval Office, Trump defended the legislation but acknowledged concerns, stating:
“I’m not happy about certain aspects of it, but I’m thrilled by other aspects of it… It’s got a way to go.”
Even among Republicans, support for the bill has shown cracks.
Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson noted,
“I sympathize with Elon being discouraged.”
Musk’s Reform Mission Falls Short
Musk entered the administration with an ambitious target of cutting $1 trillion in federal spending. But speaking to The Washington Post, he admitted:
“The federal bureaucracy situation is much worse than I realized… It sure is an uphill battle trying to improve things in D.C., to say the least.”
Return to the Private Sector
With his departure, Musk plans to shift his focus back to his business ventures, including Tesla, SpaceX, and Neuralink, while also dialing back on political involvement.
“In terms of political spending, I’m going to do a lot less in the future,” Musk said earlier this month. “I think I’ve done enough.”
Backlash from Civil Society
Not all reactions have been sympathetic.
Lisa Gilbert, co-president of watchdog group Public Citizen, issued a scathing statement:
“Musk’s legacy is lost livelihoods for critical government employees, hindered American education, loss of funding for scientists, and the violation of Americans’ personal privacy, all in the service of corrupt tech-bro billionaire special interests.”
