Charles Esther
Elon Musk announced that he is stepping back from his role with the White House, expressing gratitude to President Donald Trump for the opportunity.
Musk shared his message on X, stating that his time as a Special Government Employee is coming to an end.
He thanked Trump for allowing him to work on reducing wasteful government spending.
The CEO of Tesla and SpaceX highlighted the importance of the DOGE mission, which aims to embed spending reduction throughout the government.
A White House official confirmed that Musk’s offboarding process had begun.
Musk had previously indicated that he would step back from his government role in May due to federal restrictions.
Federal law limits Special Government Employees to a maximum of 130 days of service within a 365-day period.
During his time in the White House, Musk was actively involved in the DOGE office’s efforts to cut government spending and fight fraud and waste.
His recent public thanks to Trump came shortly after he criticized a spending bill passed by the House of Representatives.
Musk commented that the bill, praised by Trump as “one big, beautiful bill,” actually adds to the federal deficit and undermines DOGE’s work.
He remarked, “I think a vote can be big, or it could be beautiful. I don’t know if it could be both.”
In addition to stepping back from his government duties, Musk revealed he plans to spend less money on politics going forward.
This year, Musk has already spent at least $277 million supporting Trump and the GOP during the 2024 election.
In a post on X, Musk said he was returning to his work at Tesla, spending “24/7 at work and sleeping in conference/server/factory rooms.”
Tesla investors welcomed this news, as the company’s stock price has been rising since Musk’s announcement to reduce his White House involvement.
Musk’s association with the White House DOGE office had previously sparked boycotts and protests targeting Tesla.
By stepping back, Musk appears focused on his core businesses and on easing investor concerns.
The DOGE initiative remains in place and is expected to continue strengthening as a part of government operations.
Elon Musk’s move signals a shift away from political engagement toward intensified focus on his companies and innovation.
