Elon Musk departed his position within the US government on Wednesday after leading the Department of Government Efficiency in an effort to slash federal spending.
“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,” Musk said via X.
A White House official told Reuters that Mr Musk is leaving the administration and his “off-boarding will begin tonight.”
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.
Musk and Doge have cut nearly 12 per cent, or 260,000 people, from the 2.3 million-strong federal civilian workforce through threats of firings, buyouts and early retirement offers, Reuters reported.
Musk’s departure comes after he criticised the price tag of Republicans’ tax and budget legislation 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.
The world’s richest person’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.
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