Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk has announced his departure from the Trump administration, where he served as a senior adviser. His resignation follows public criticism of President Donald Trump’s flagship tax-and-spending package, known as the “Big, Beautiful Bill.”
“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 on X, the social media platform he owns. “The @DOGE mission will only strengthen over time as it becomes a way of life throughout the government.”
A White House official confirmed Musk’s departure to the Associated Press.
Musk’s announcement came shortly after an interview clip aired in which he expressed concern over the bill’s projected impact on the national deficit. In a preview of a CBS interview set to air in full on Sunday, Musk said he was “disappointed to see the massive spending bill… which increases the budget deficit, not just decreases.” He also stated that it “undermines the work that the DOGE team is doing.”
The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), spearheaded by Musk, was tasked with streamlining federal operations. It led efforts to downsize government by initiating agency closures, large-scale layoffs, and the termination of several federal contracts—some of which are now under legal scrutiny. While DOGE claims to have saved taxpayers an estimated $175 billion, independent analysts have raised questions about those figures.
Trump’s sweeping bill—already passed by the House and awaiting Senate review—aims to increase funding for defense and border security, extend tax cuts from his first term, and reduce funding for Medicaid, clean energy, and other programs. It also proposes deep cuts to Medicare. Fiscal watchdogs estimate the bill could add trillions of dollars to the national debt.
Despite criticism from Musk and some Republican lawmakers, Trump defended the legislation, stating, “I’m not happy about certain aspects of it, but I’m thrilled by other aspects.” He acknowledged that passing the bill in the House was a priority and that further negotiations would take place in the Senate.
House Speaker Mike Johnson praised DOGE’s accomplishments in a post on X, saying, “The House made sure to build on DOGE’s success within the One Big Beautiful Bill.” He added that Congress plans to enact DOGE’s recommendations through a rescissions package and the 2026 budget process.
Musk had hinted at scaling back his government role as early as April, telling investors that the “heavy lifting” for DOGE had been completed. On May 20, he told CNBC that he planned to visit the White House only occasionally moving forward: “My rough plan is to be there for a couple days every few weeks. And to be helpful where I can be helpful.”
His reduced presence in Trump’s orbit has fueled speculation of a rift. According to a Politico report, Trump—once a frequent poster about Musk on Truth Social—has not mentioned him in recent weeks.
Also on May 20, Musk revealed he would significantly reduce his political spending after investing more than $250 million in Trump’s 2024 campaign. “I think I’ve done enough,” he told Bloomberg. “If I see a reason to spend politically in the future, I will. I don’t currently see a reason.”
