Elon Musk reveals his decision to step down from his position within the Trump administration.
Tech mogul Elon Musk announced his departure from his role in the US government on Wednesday, following a disagreement with President Donald Trump over federal spending. Musk, who had been tasked by Trump to reduce wasteful spending, expressed his concerns over Trump's signature spending bill, asserting that it would increase the deficit and undermine the work of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
In a statement on his social media platform, Musk wrote, "As my scheduled time as a Special Government Employee comes to an end, I would like to thank President Donald Trump 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 argued that Trump's bill would not decrease the budget deficit, as promised, but instead increase it. He also criticized the DOGE team for becoming a "whipping boy" for dissatisfaction with the administration.
Trump's "One Big, Beautiful Bill Act," which offers tax relief and spending cuts, is the centerpiece of his domestic agenda. However, critics warn it will decimate health care and balloon the national deficit by as much as $4 trillion over a decade.
The White House downplayed any differences over US government spending, without directly naming Musk. According to US Senate rules, all DOGE cuts would have to be carried out through a separate bill targeting the federal bureaucracy.
Musk had previously accused DOGE, which operated out of the White House with a staff of young technicians, of becoming a lightning rod for criticism. He blamed entrenched US bureaucracy for DOGE's failure to achieve all of its goals.
Musk's own businesses, including Tesla and Space X, suffered during his time with DOGE. Protesters targeted Tesla dealerships, and arsonists even torched a few of the electric vehicles. Meanwhile, Space X experienced a series of setbacks, with the latest coming last Tuesday when its prototype Starship exploded over the Indian Ocean.
Musk has expressed his intention to pull back from spending his fortune on politics, having spent around a quarter of a billion dollars to support Trump. He will now focus on his businesses, Space X and Tesla, and the dream of colonizing Mars.
- Elon Musk, who expressed his concerns over President Donald Trump's spending bill, believes it would increase the deficit and undermine the work of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
- Musk, after serving as a Special Government Employee, asserted that Trump's "One Big, Beautiful Bill Act" could decimate health care and balloon the national deficit by as much as $4 trillion over a decade.
- Critics, like Musk, argue that the DOGE mission, designed to reduce wasteful spending, has become a "whipping boy" for dissatisfaction with the administration, according to Musk's criticism.
- Despite disagreements over federal spending, Musk has decided to focus on his businesses, Space X and Tesla, and the dream of colonizing Mars, having expressed his intention to pull back from spending his fortune on politics.
