Billionaire and Tesla chief Elon Musk has stepped down from his position as head of the Division of Authorities Effectivity (DOGE), by which he was charged with lowering federal spending, as he nears the utmost restrict for his tenure as a particular authorities adviser.
His departure comes simply after his first main public disagreement with President Donald Trump over the administration’s much-touted tax-and-spending finances invoice, which was handed by the Republican-controlled US Home of Representatives on Might 22 by a single vote.
In a publish on X on Wednesday, Musk mentioned his time with the administration had “come to an finish”.
“I wish to thank President Donald Trump for the chance to scale back wasteful spending,” the SpaceX founder wrote.
As my scheduled time as a Particular Authorities Worker involves an finish, I wish to thank President @realDonaldTrump for the chance to scale back wasteful spending.
The @DOGE mission will solely strengthen over time because it turns into a lifestyle all through the federal government.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) Might 29, 2025
Musk, who was appointed by Trump to steer DOGE, has seen his tenure within the White Home marred by controversy, particularly sparked by his try and dismantle the US Company for Worldwide Improvement (USAID), an company devoted to distributing international help.
With Musk’s departure, what’s going to turn out to be of DOGE? And what legacy does the Tesla CEO depart behind?
How lengthy was Musk at DOGE?
Musk’s time period as a “particular authorities worker” within the Trump administration meant he was solely entitled to serve for 130 days in any 365-day interval, and is barred from utilizing authorities roles for any financial achieve.
Musk’s time period has lasted simply over 4 months, just a few days in need of the utmost authorized restrict.
In late April, Musk mentioned he would quickly shift his focus again to his personal enterprise enterprises and that his “time allocation” at DOGE would “drop considerably” beginning in Might.
Nevertheless, Musk did notice that he would spend “a day or two per week on authorities issues for so long as the President would really like me to take action, so long as it’s helpful”.
Why does Musk disagree with Trump’s tax-and-spending invoice?
In a clip from an interview with information channel CBS’s Sunday Morning programme, launched on Tuesday, Musk revealed he was “upset to see the large spending invoice”.
In line with him, the wide-ranging finances invoice, also called the “One Large Lovely Invoice”, will increase the finances deficit and undermines his work at DOGE.
“I believe a invoice may be massive or it may be lovely. However I don’t know if it may be each. My private opinion,” Musk informed journalist David Pogue.
On Wednesday, Trump staunchly defended the invoice. “We shall be negotiating that invoice, and I’m not comfortable about sure points of it, however I’m thrilled by different points of it,” Trump informed reporters on the White Home. “That’s the best way they go.”
Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk and US President Donald Trump (File: Alex Brandon/AP Picture)
The finances invoice spans greater than a thousand pages and descriptions varied home coverage objectives favoured by the Trump administration.
Amongst its provisions are measures that stretch tax cuts launched throughout Trump’s first presidential time period in 2017. The invoice additionally boosts funding for Trump’s proposed “mass deportation” initiative and for safety alongside the US-Mexico border.
The disagreement over the tax-and-spending invoice was one among a number of challenges Musk has encountered throughout his time on the White Home.
What else has Musk disagreed with the Trump administration about?
Musk ran afoul of a number of Trump officers throughout his stint on the White Home, together with the president’s chief commerce adviser, Peter Navarro, whom he referred to as a “moron” over Trump’s sweeping enhance in commerce tariffs throughout the globe. Musk has additionally acknowledged publicly that he can be extra in favour of “predictable tariff buildings”, along with “free commerce and decrease tariffs”.
In April, the SpaceX founder expressed hopes for “a zero-tariff state of affairs” between the US and Europe. As a substitute, Trump has threatened to impose a 50 % tariff on imported items from the European Union until the 2 sides can conform to a commerce deal.
What’s going to occur to DOGE now?
Trump established DOGE by government order the day he was sworn into workplace on January 20. With Musk’s departure, it’s unclear what destiny awaits the company, as Trump has but to nominate anybody to switch him.
Musk was given a mandate to scale back federal funding, which included downsizing the federal government’s workforce, terminating authorities contracts and making an attempt to shut down whole businesses. In February, he and Trump each claimed that they had unearthed billions of {dollars} price of fraud associated to range and local weather schemes throughout the authorities. This was proved to be largely unfaithful or deceptive.
In his publish on Wednesday, Musk mentioned: “The DOGE mission will solely strengthen over time because it turns into a lifestyle all through the federal government.”
Nevertheless, Colleen Graffy, a former US diplomat and professor of legislation at Pepperdine College in California, mentioned DOGE’s future was on shaky floor. “The facility of DOGE got here from the world’s richest man, Musk, having the ear of the world’s strongest particular person, Trump,” she informed Al Jazeera. “DOGE will possible battle alongside for some time, however with out Musk, and with pending courtroom circumstances towards it, its days are numbered. It could be a poisoned chalice appointment for anybody to take. Trump’s tax cuts will dwarf any financial savings.”
What’s going to Musk’s DOGE legacy be?
Musk’s position within the Trump administration has sparked a considerable amount of controversy.
He has overseen main reductions within the variety of federal staff and the dismantling of a number of government-funded programmes – strikes which have drawn widespread criticism.
“Elon Musk’s DOGE was like one among his rockets exploding quickly after liftoff, thereby demonstrating how to not do issues,” Graffy informed Al Jazeera.
“The distinction is that for one, the educational expertise is paid in cash; for the opposite, the worth is paid in human lives,” she added.
A significant level of criticism directed at Trump and Musk centred on their determination to severely reduce USAID’s operations.
A girl protests towards Elon Musk exterior the US Company for Worldwide Improvement (USAID) constructing in Washington, DC, the US (File: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters)
By late February, the principle workplaces of the company in Washington, DC, had been basically shut down.
Following the dismissal of roughly 1,600 staff and the position of roughly 4,700 extra on depart, workers got simply quarter-hour to collect their belongings and exit the constructing.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio later revealed that 83 % of all contracts managed by USAID had been closed.
In March, a federal choose in Maryland acknowledged that DOGE had “possible violated” the US Structure by making an attempt to dismantle the company. The choose authorised a short lived injunction to cease DOGE from continuing with USAID-related workers reductions, constructing closures, contract terminations, or the destruction of USAID supplies.
Lisa Gilbert, co-president of Public Citizen, a shopper rights advocacy group, described DOGE as a “mantra of destruction”.
“The legacy of Elon Musk is misplaced livelihoods for crucial authorities staff, hindered American schooling, lack of funding for scientists and the violation of People’ private privateness, all within the service of corrupt tech-bro billionaire particular pursuits,” she informed Al Jazeera.
“The carnage is much more horrifying internationally, as Musk’s chainsaw will result in the pointless and useless deaths of possible hundreds of thousands of individuals within the growing world.”
Max Yoeli, senior analysis fellow within the US and the Americas Programme at Chatham Home, mentioned Musk’s transient tenure has “irrevocably altered US authorities”.
“DOGE’s weakening of state capability and disruption of America’s analysis and growth ecosystem pose lasting dangers to US financial prospects and resilience, at the same time as courts nonetheless grapple with authorized points his method raised,” Yoeli informed Al Jazeera.
