According to a senior White House official, Elon Musk remains close to President Trump after stepping away from his role as a “special government employee”.
Musk revealed on Wednesday evening that he was leaving his temporary government post, writing on X: “with my official time as a Special Government Employee wrapping up, I want to thank President Trump for the chance to help cut unnecessary government spending.” He noted that the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, will continue to grow stronger, aiming to make its principles a lasting part of federal operations.
The White House announced back in February that Musk had been designated a “special government employee,” or SGE—a classification that allows individuals to serve in government roles under more flexible ethics guidelines than full-time federal workers. By law, SGEs are permitted to work no more than 130 days in a calendar year. Friday, May 30, marks 130 days since Trump began his second term—coinciding with the start of Musk’s work with DOGE.
Musk hinted during Tesla’s earnings call in April that he would be scaling back his involvement with DOGE in May to prioritize his businesses. He mentioned that he might reduce his government work to one or two days per week, depending on the president’s wishes. Some Tesla shareholders have expressed concern about Musk’s political engagements, fearing they might distract him from running his companies and harm the automaker’s public image.
Despite exiting his formal position, Musk remains close to the president. CBS News reports that sources revealed that “Elon left on very good terms and still has a strong personal relationship with President Trump. This isn’t a departure in the traditional sense—it’s a transition back to the private sector. He’ll still be an ally to the president, and you could call his ongoing involvement that of an adviser.”. Steve Davis, one of Musk’s top aides at DOGE, is also stepping down from his role in the administration.
The source added that while Musk won’t regularly attend Cabinet meetings, his future participation hasn’t been ruled out. During his time with DOGE, Musk oversaw major shakeups across federal agencies, slashing government payrolls and canceling contracts worth billions. Musk has claimed these efforts saved the government approximately $160 billion. Critics, however, pointed out inaccuracies in the figures DOGE provided. One report even suggested the cost of disrupted operations, temporary layoffs, and the need to rehire staff could end up costing the government as much as $135 billion.
Musk’s exit follows his recent interview with “CBS Sunday Morning” in which he criticized the new budget bill – dubbed the “big, beautiful bill” – after being passed by House Republicans. Musk told CBS correspondent David Pogue: “I was honestly let down by the massive spending package. It actually increases the deficit rather than cutting it, which undermines what we’ve been doing at DOGE.”
Editorial credit: Joshua Sukoff / Shutterstock.com
