President Donald Trump will hold a press event Friday to mark the departure of Elon Musk, who is stepping down from his role at the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) after a four-month stint marked by internal turmoil and policy clashes.
Musk’s exit follows a wave of departures from DOGE, the White House’s controversial initiative aimed at reducing federal government spending.
Senior officials including Steve Davis, president of Musk’s Boring Company, and DOGE spokeswoman Katie Miller, are leaving or have recently left the agency, according to officials.
Attorney James Burnham is also expected to depart.
Musk joined the Trump administration as a “special government employee” after contributing over $250 million to the president’s re-election effort.
Though he held no formal Cabinet title, Musk’s role was high-profile and unusually influential for a temporary appointee.
All is okay between Musk and Trump?
President Trump has consistently praised Musk, posting on Truth Social Thursday that, “This will be his last day, but not really, because he will, always, be with us, helping all the way. Elon is terrific!”
However, Musk has not always reciprocated the admiration.
He publicly criticized the administration’s tariff strategy, calling White House trade advisor Peter Navarro “truly a moron” and “dumber than a sack of bricks.”
More recently, Musk broke with Trump over the president’s proposed omnibus spending package, calling it fiscally irresponsible.
“It undermines the work that the DOGE team is doing,” Musk said in an interview with CBS’ Sunday Morning.
DOGE falls short of lofty goals
The Department of Government Efficiency, which Musk once claimed could reduce federal spending by trillions, has not met that benchmark.
Even the agency’s self-reported savings figures have come under scrutiny, and the actual impact remains unclear.
Still, Musk struck an optimistic tone this week, writing on X that “The @DOGE mission will only strengthen over time as it becomes a way of life throughout the government.”
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’s involvement in government has come at a cost.
Tesla’s public image has suffered, with vehicles and showrooms targeted by vandals and arsonists amid political backlash.
Once omnipresent in Trump’s orbit, Musk became increasingly absent from public events in his final weeks.
He has since signaled plans to retreat from politics and refocus on his private-sector ventures.
That includes a pause in future political contributions, sources close to Musk said.
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