Billionaire Tesla CEO Elon Musk is leaving the Trump administration after a tumultuous period working to restructure the federal government, a White House official confirmed.
A White House official told Reuters it was accurate that Musk is leaving the administration and his "off-boarding will begin tonight."
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.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 29, 2025
Musk on Wednesday thanked US President Donald Trump for his time as a special government employee as a part of the Department of Government Efficiency draws to an end, he said in a post on the social media platform X/Twitter.
Musk's 130-day mandate as a special government employee in the Trump administration was set to expire around May 30. The administration has said DOGE's efforts to restructure and shrink the federal government will continue.
"The DOGE mission will only strengthen over time as it becomes a way of life throughout the government," Musk said.
Trump and DOGE have managed to cut nearly 12%, or 260,000, of the 2.3 million-strong federal civilian workforce largely through threats of firings, buyouts, and early retirement offers, a Reuters review of agency departures found.
Criticism on tax and budget legislation
On Tuesday, Musk criticized the price tag of Republicans' tax and budget legislation that was making its way through Congress.
"I was disappointed to see the massive spending bill, frankly, which increases the budget deficit, not just decreases it, and undermines the work that the DOGE team is doing," Musk told CBS News.
Musk's political activities have drawn protests, and some investors have called for Musk to leave his work as Trump's adviser and manage Tesla more closely.
Musk, the world's richest person, has defended his role as an unelected official who was granted unprecedented authority by Trump to dismantle parts of the US government.