Elon Musk Ends Tenure in Trump’s Cabinet

(The Post News)– Elon Musk has officially announced his departure from the Trump administration after leading a controversial campaign to shrink the size of the U.S. government through the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

In a post on his social media platform X, Musk thanked President Donald Trump for the opportunity, stating that as his time as a Special Government Employee ends, he applauds Trump for the chance to cut unnecessary expenditure. He added that as the DOGE purpose gets ingrained in the administration, it will only get stronger over time.

Designated as a “special government employee”, Musk was permitted to serve up to 130 days per year. Though his exit was anticipated, it comes just a day after he publicly criticised Trump’s latest budget proposal, a multi-trillion-dollar package of tax breaks and defense spending increases.

Musk argued the bill “undermines the work” of DOGE, saying he believes that a bill might be large or exquisite. However, he is uncertain if it may be both.

During his six-month tenure, Musk pledged to slash government spending by at least $2 trillion, a figure later revised down to $150 billion. His aggressive reforms led to the elimination or early retirement of an estimated 260,000 federal workers, about 11% of the civilian workforce. Courts blocked some firings, including the mistaken dismissal of staff in the U.S. nuclear program.

Musk’s leadership style drew fierce political backlash, with DOGE becoming a scapegoat for unrelated federal issues. Meanwhile, Musk told The Washington Post that DOGE has become the scapegoat for all the negative things, even though they had nothing to do with them.

Musk’s time in Washington coincided with a sharp downturn at Tesla. Sales dropped 13% in the first quarter of the year, the steepest fall in its history, while its stock price fell as much as 45%. Activist boycotts, dealership protests, and even acts of vandalism against Tesla charging stations intensified, prompting U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi to label the attacks “domestic terrorism”.

Musk has vowed to recommit to his companies, stating at an economic forum in Qatar that he plans to lead Tesla for the next five years. On a recent earnings call, he said his time devoted to DOGE “will drop significantly”.

He also announced he would reduce political spending, having donated nearly $300 million to Trump’s 2024 campaign and Republican allies.