Elon Musk has reportedly resigned from his position in President Donald Trump’s administration, just months after taking on the controversial role as head of Dodge.
Musk, the billionaire CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, had sparked widespread debate when he joined Trump’s team, given his previous criticisms of the former president. His abrupt departure on Wednesday night has raised questions about the reasons behind his exit, with sources suggesting disagreements over policy direction or Musk’s focus on his own business ventures.
“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.”
Musk’s tenure was marked by controversy from the start, as critics questioned the legitimacy of granting a private billionaire unchecked power to dismantle federal agencies. His frustration reportedly grew in recent weeks over a deal between Abu Dhabi and OpenAI—a rival to his AI company—which he allegedly tried to block unless his own firm was included, according to The New York Times.
White House tensions escalated as Musk clashed with officials over policy directions, culminating in his decision to exit early. “It’s time to refocus on my companies,” Musk said in late April, signaling his weariness of being a lightning rod for criticism over Trump’s aggressive government overhaul.
Elon criticised the president’s marquee tax bill, calling it too expensive and a measure that would undermine his work to make the government more “efficient.”
Musk’s abrupt exit raises questions about the viability of his aggressive government restructuring vision and leaves the Doge initiative at a crossroads. The program, which sought to eliminate bureaucratic inefficiencies through private-sector approaches, now faces an uncertain future as the administration scrambles to maintain momentum.
As Musk returns his focus to Tesla, SpaceX, and xAI, the episode underscores both the challenges of bringing Silicon Valley disruption to Washington and the limitations of even the world’s most influential billionaire in reshaping entrenched government systems.
Despite the early departure, Musk maintains that Doge’s work will continue, though it remains unclear how the program will achieve its ambitious goals without its high-profile leader.
