Elon Musk Steps Away from Trump Administration, Refocuses on Tesla

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Musk’s involvement in government also created waves in the business world. (File Photo: Gage Skidmore/Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0)

Elon Musk has officially ended his short-term role in the Trump administration, stepping down from his position at the Department of Government Efficiency, also known as Doge. His departure comes just one day after he publicly criticized President Trump’s latest budget plan.

Musk worked as a part-time government employee for a maximum of 130 days each year. His departure was expected, but the timing is important. In a post on his social media platform X, Musk thanked Trump for the opportunity to help reduce government spending. However, he warned that the president’s new budget plan—which includes major tax cuts and more defense spending—would increase the national deficit and “undermines the work” of the Doge program.

“I think a bill can be big, or it could be beautiful,” Musk said in a recent interview. “But I don’t know if it could be both.”

Initially, Musk aimed to cut $2 trillion from the federal budget. That goal was later scaled down to $150 billion. His efforts resulted in approximately 260,000 federal workers losing their jobs or taking early retirement. Some firings were later reversed by court orders, particularly in sensitive areas such as national security, where mistakes had been made.

Musk’s involvement in government also created waves in the business world. Tesla, his electric car company, experienced its worst sales drop ever—down 13% in early 2025. The company’s stock also took a hit, falling by as much as 45% before partly recovering. Activists protested outside Tesla dealerships, and some vehicles and charging stations were vandalized.

In response, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced that violent acts against Tesla would be treated as “domestic terrorism.”

Speaking at a recent event in Qatar, Musk said he now plans to stay focused on Tesla for at least the next five years. He also stated that he would reduce political donations after spending nearly $300 million supporting Trump and other Republicans the previous year.

With his exit from Washington, Musk appears ready to put politics behind him and return to leading his companies—though the effects of his time in government may linger.