Billionaire Elon Musk announced his departure from the White House on May 28 after leading the controversial Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
Musk’s departure shouldn’t come as a surprise. Earlier this month, Musk said he would step back from his role in the U.S. federal government and spend more time with his ailing companies. Musk’s position in the government and his politics sparked protests that targeted his companies, like electric vehicle (EV) maker Tesla.
In a post on his social media platform X, better known as Twitter, Musk said his time as a Special Government Employee was ending and thanked U.S. President Donald Trump “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 wrote.
However, the impact Musk and DOGE had on cutting so-called “wasteful spending” is questionable at best. Musk initially claimed DOGE would cut at least US$2 trillion in government spending, but later halved that to $1 trillion, then dropped it again to $150 billion. The DOGE website currently claims to have cut $175 billion, but given the various lies and exaggerations, that number is almost certainly wrong. Worse than the numbers, DOGE likely did more harm than good with its indiscriminate cuts.
Reuters reported that a White House official said Musk was being “off-boarded” starting Wednesday night and that he didn’t have a formal conversation with Trump before announcing his exit. Instead, his departure was decided “at a senior staff level.”
While the details of Musk’s departure are vague, the timing is certainly interesting. Musk’s departure comes after he criticized Trump’s tax bill, which would add US$3.8 trillion to the government’s debt over 10 years. Moreover, it’s clear Musk’s standing in the White House has fallen. In April, reports emerged that Musk wasn’t liked among Trump officials, with some calling him “annoying,” “irritating,” “crazy,” and more.
Musk’s role in the U.S. government also made him a key target as Trump raised tensions with Canada. Trump’s tariffs likely spiked Tesla vehicle prices, frustrated Canadians protested and attacked Tesla dealerships over Musl’s role in the trade war, while others attempted to distance themselves from Musk, and the Canadian government froze funds to the company following a suspicious surge in sales.
Meanwhile, Tesla had to recall all its Cybertrucks because they were literally falling apart. Through that, we learned the company sold fewer than 2,000 Cybertrucks in Canada — not a great look.
It remains to be seen if Musk’s departure will help Tesla and his other companies, or if the damage is already done.
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