Elon Musk has resigned from his role in the Trump administration, citing political pressure and a renewed focus on business ventures.
Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has stepped down from his position as the head of the “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE), a post he held in the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump for nearly four months.
According to a report by Reuters, a White House official confirmed that the formal process for Musk’s departure began on Wednesday evening (U.S. time).
Musk, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), thanked President Trump and stated that his tenure in the department had come to an end. He announced that he will now be focusing on his commercial ventures.
During his role in the Trump administration, Musk was tasked with cutting federal spending and overhauling bureaucratic structures. The department was established in January 2025 through an executive order signed by President Trump.
In the course of Musk’s leadership, approximately 260,000 federal civilian employees were either laid off or encouraged into early retirement. These drastic reductions sparked widespread protests and public backlash across the United States.
As reported by The Washington Post, Musk had grown increasingly weary of mounting political pressure, particularly from left-leaning groups. This dissatisfaction reportedly played a significant role in his decision to step down.
Sources cited by Politico revealed that both Trump and Musk ultimately agreed it would be more effective for Musk to serve in an informal capacity, such as a senior advisor or consultant, rather than in an official cabinet role.
Nonetheless, White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt had previously dismissed rumors of Musk’s departure as “nonsense,” asserting that he would remain in his post until the end of his assignment.
Vice President J.D. Vance also commented on the resignation, stating that Musk will continue to be a “friend and advisor” to President Trump, even after stepping away from his formal duties.
Musk’s tenure was marked by controversial initiatives, including a mandate requiring weekly performance reports from all federal employees. These actions stirred debates over privacy and job security within federal agencies.
Elon Musk’s resignation from the Department of Government Efficiency underscores the tension between private-sector leadership styles and public-sector governance. While Musk’s aggressive cost-cutting reforms were hailed by some as long-overdue modernization efforts, they also faced sharp criticism for their human impact and authoritarian tone.
