Elon Musk Says His Stint As ‘Special Government Employee’ Has Ended
Elon Musk Ends Government Efficiency Role, Cites Spending Cuts
Updated May 29, 2025
Elon Musk announced the end of his time as a “special government employee” leading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). This comes a month after he told Tesla shareholders he would dedicate more time to the car company. Musk’s role focused on government efficiency and cutting wasteful spending.
In a post on X, Musk thanked President Donald Trump for the chance to reduce wasteful spending. He expressed optimism that DOGE’s mission to promote government efficiency would strengthen over time.
trump established DOGE via executive order,appointing Musk as its de facto head. Special government employees can serve up to 130 days. Musk’s term would have ended Thursday,assuming his appointment coincided with Trump’s inauguration.
Last month, Musk told tesla investors he might spend one or two days a week on government matters, depending on the president’s wishes. Tho, his recent criticism of Trump’s spending policies casts doubt on future collaboration. The billionaire expressed disappointment with Trump’s “big, gorgeous” bill, suggesting it undermined DOGE’s work to promote government efficiency.
Following his announcement, Musk retweeted a post by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, who mentioned discussing technological tools and public-private partnerships to enhance national security but made no reference to DOGE.
“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.”
What’s next
The future of Musk’s involvement with the Trump administration remains unclear, notably given his recent public criticism of the president’s fiscal policies and their impact on government efficiency.