Elon Musk announces exit from Trump administration as tenure ends

Billionaire and Tesla CEO Elon Musk has announced he is stepping down from his role in the Trump administration after a tumultuous period working to restructure the federal government.

A White House official told Reuters it was accurate Musk is in the process of leaving the administration and his "off-boarding will begin tonight.”

Musk, who served as a special government employee within the Department of Government Efficiency, acknowledged the end of his role in a post Wednesday on social media platform X, thanking President Trump for giving him the opportunity to be involved.

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.

The @DOGE mission will only strengthen over time as it becomes a way of life throughout the government.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 29, 2025

His 130-day mandate was originally set to expire around May 30.

"The DOGE mission will only strengthen over time as it becomes a way of life throughout the government," Musk said.

During Musk’s tenure, Trump’s administration claimed it had slashed nearly 12 per cent of the federal civilian workforce — approximately 260,000 positions — through a combination of early retirements, buyouts, and layoff threats, according to a Reuters review of agency departures found.

Musk's political activities have drawn protests and some investors have called for Musk to leave his work as Trump's adviser and manage Tesla more closely.

Still, Musk defended his role, saying he was uniquely qualified to help dismantle inefficient parts of the federal bureaucracy.

The official end date for DOGE is set for July 4 coinciding with the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. While Musk has stepped back from his role, the department's initiatives and the broader implications of its actions continue to be a topic of public and legal scrutiny.