Elon Musk has officially concluded his tenure in political service. On May 28, the Tesla CEO announced on X (formerly Twitter) that he would be stepping down from his governmental role within President Donald Trump's administration. "As my designated period as a Special Government Employee draws to a close, I extend my heartfelt thanks to President @realDonaldTrump for affording me the chance to trim wasteful expenditures," Musk penned. "The mission of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) will only grow stronger with time, embedding itself as a way of life across the entire government."
Prior to his departure, Musk had recently expressed his disapproval of a Republican-backed domestic policy bill, criticizing it for exacerbating the deficit, as reported by NBC News. During an interview with CBS' "Sunday Morning" that aired on June 1, Musk revealed his frustration. "Frankly, I was disappointed to see the massive spending bill that increases the budget deficit rather than decreases it," he said. "It undermines the progress that the DOGE team has made."
Back in March, Trump informed his cabinet that Musk would be relinquishing his position within the coming months, according to NBC News. During a private cabinet meeting on March 24, Trump disclosed that Musk, who had led DOGE since the administration's inception in January, would be transitioning back to the private sector. As cameras rolled at the meeting's conclusion, the 47th president hailed Musk as a "patriot." "He is a patriot," Trump, 78, stated. "He's a friend of mine. He's become a close friend of mine. He supported me during the election. That's when I got to know him better. I knew him slightly from my first term, but not extensively. Above all, he's a patriot."
Trump also praised Musk for never seeking personal favors. "He has never asked me for anything," continued the former "Apprentice" star. "He could have, but he never did. I often wondered if he would ever ask me for something, and that could always change. If it does, I'll let you know. But Elon has never asked me for anything."
Regarding Musk's departure, Trump noted that his friend had other business commitments—but refrained from confirming the fate of DOGE. "He has a large company to manage, so he'll be returning to it at some point," Trump told reporters at a press conference on March 31. "I kept him as long as I could. He's incredibly talented. I admire smart people, and Elon is very smart. He's done an excellent job."
Indeed, Musk has been a steadfast supporter of Trump since the campaign trail and even attended the president's Inauguration in January, with SpaceX founder in tow. A month later, Musk brought his and Grimes' 4-year-old son, X Æ A-Xii Musk, to the White House for a meeting with the president. Although Trump's desk was sent out for refinishing shortly after Musk's son was caught wiping his nose on it, the president only had praise for the toddler. "He's a fantastic kid," Trump said. "A high-IQ individual."
Meanwhile, Grimes—who also shares Exa, 3, and Techno Machanicus, 2, with Musk—later revealed that she "did not know" about the visit and did not approve of it. However, she told a fan who praised her son's manners, "I'm glad he was polite. Sigh."
