Elon Musk is stepping down from his government position as a senior adviser to President Donald Trump, where he had led efforts to trim and restructure the federal bureaucracy. His resignation, announced on Wednesday evening, brings to a close a contentious chapter marked by significant layoffs, agency reductions, and legal battles. Despite bold ambitions, Musk struggled to adjust to the political climate in Washington and ultimately achieved far less than he had initially hoped.
Initially, Musk had aimed to slash federal spending by $2 trillion, but he gradually scaled back his goal—first to $1 trillion, and then to $150 billion—as he faced mounting opposition. The billionaire entrepreneur grew increasingly disillusioned with the resistance he encountered, often finding himself at odds with senior figures in Trump’s administration. These internal conflicts emerged as Musk tried to restructure various departments, drawing significant political criticism in the process.
Although Musk’s advisory role was always intended to be short-term, he had lately been indicating a shift in focus back to his businesses, including electric car manufacturer Tesla and aerospace firm SpaceX. Yet officials within the administration remained vague about the precise timing of his departure. The public only learned of it when Musk made an abrupt announcement on X, his social media platform.
“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,” Musk posted. “The @DOGE mission will only strengthen over time as it becomes a way of life throughout the government.”
An unnamed White House official later confirmed Musk’s departure.
Musk’s resignation followed closely on the heels of a CBS interview snippet in which he criticized a central piece of Trump’s legislative agenda. In the interview, Musk said he was “disappointed” with what Trump had dubbed his “big beautiful bill,” a sweeping piece of legislation combining tax cuts with stricter immigration enforcement.
Calling the measure a “massive spending bill,” Musk argued that it undermined the objectives of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), the agency he led. “I think a bill can be big or it could be beautiful,” Musk remarked. “But I don’t know if it could be both.”
Responding from the Oval Office on Wednesday, Trump defended his legislative initiative by pointing to the delicate negotiations involved. “I’m not happy about certain aspects of it, but I’m thrilled by other aspects of it,” the president said, suggesting the bill was still subject to change. “We’re going to see what happens. It’s got a way to go.”
The legislation had already passed the House and was being debated in the Senate. Musk’s critiques have found support among some Republicans. “I sympathize with Elon being discouraged,” said Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin during an appearance at the Milwaukee Press Club. Johnson noted he was “pretty confident” that enough opposition existed to “slow this process down until the president, our leadership, gets serious” about reducing spending. He added that no amount of pressure from Trump would sway him from that stance.
House Speaker Mike Johnson has urged the Senate to avoid major amendments to the bill, emphasizing that House Republicans had achieved a “very delicate balance” that could be destabilized by significant changes. Since the House will need to vote again if the Senate alters the legislation, any shifts risk derailing the fragile consensus.
On the day Musk stepped down, Speaker Johnson thanked him for his service and affirmed that the House would continue pushing for further spending reductions. “The House is eager and ready to act on DOGE’s findings,” Johnson stated.
To support DOGE’s fiscal objectives, the White House is preparing a set of proposed rescissions—moves to cancel previously authorized expenditures—that will be sent to Congress. According to the Office of Management and Budget, the rescission package will target $1.1 billion from the Corporation of Public Broadcasting, which supports NPR and PBS, and $8.3 billion in foreign aid.
Musk has admitted that his foray into government work was more challenging than he had imagined. “The federal bureaucracy situation is much worse than I realized,” he told The Washington Post. “I thought there were problems, but it sure is an uphill battle trying to improve things in D.C., to say the least.”
Recently, Musk also indicated he would be cutting back on political contributions. “I think I’ve done enough,” he said.
Initially, Musk had been invigorated by the chance to overhaul Washington. After contributing at least $250 million to Trump’s campaign, he wore campaign hats in the White House, held rallies, and framed excessive government spending as a crisis. He frequently expressed admiration for Trump. “The more I’ve gotten to know President Trump, the more I like the guy,” Musk declared in February. “Frankly, I love him.”
Trump reciprocated Musk’s praise, calling him “a truly great American.” At one point, when Tesla’s sales were dipping, Musk even displayed his cars in the White House driveway to emphasize the administration’s support.
With Musk now exiting the administration, it remains uncertain what influence his recent criticisms will have on ongoing legislative debates. During his more influential period, Musk helped rally opposition to a spending bill when the government faced a potential shutdown. His latest remarks could inspire Republicans pushing for more aggressive cuts.
Sen. Mike Lee of Utah reposted a Fox News article featuring Musk’s CBS interview and added his own commentary, stating there was “still time to fix it.” He said, “The Senate version will be more aggressive. It can, it must, and it will be. Or it won’t pass.”
Only two Republican representatives—Warren Davidson of Ohio and Thomas Massie of Kentucky—voted against the bill during the House vote last week. Davidson acknowledged Musk’s critique on social media. “Hopefully, the Senate will succeed with the Big Beautiful Bill where the House missed the moment,” Davidson wrote. “Don’t hope someone else will cut deficits someday, know it has been done this Congress.”
Preliminary analysis from the Congressional Budget Office estimates that the bill’s tax elements would raise federal deficits by $3.8 trillion over ten years, while spending cuts to programs like Medicaid and food stamps would save just over $1 trillion during the same period.
House Republican leaders insist that the resulting economic growth would counteract the bill’s deficit impact. However, independent analysts are skeptical. The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget predicts the bill would add $3 trillion—including interest—to the national debt over the next decade.