Elon Musk has announced the end of his tenure as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a role he assumed following Donald Trump’s return to the White House. In a public statement, Musk thanked the President for the opportunity, noting that the mission to curb wasteful government spending is far from over and would eventually evolve into a “way of life” within the federal system.

Musk’s departure comes just a day after his first public criticism of Trump’s “big, beautiful” spending bill, which he argued runs counter to DOGE’s mission. “A bill can be big, or it can be beautiful. But I don't know if it can be both,” he quipped in a rare rebuke of the President.

Musk, once Trump’s most prominent supporter and top campaign donor, had become the face of DOGE’s aggressive cost-cutting drive. Under his watch, tens of thousands were cut from the federal payroll, and entire departments were either downsized or dismantled. Despite praise from fiscal conservatives, Musk’s hard-charging approach earned him powerful enemies within the administration.

In recent weeks, Musk began distancing himself from the political spotlight, citing frustration that DOGE had become a scapegoat for broader government dissatisfaction. A federal judge has since ruled that Musk must face a lawsuit over allegations of overreach and unauthorized access to sensitive government systems.

At the same time, his business empire has taken several hits. Tesla has been rocked by arson attacks and falling stock prices, SpaceX suffered a Starship explosion during its ninth test flight, and a two-hour outage of X led Musk to admit “major operational improvements” were urgently needed.

As he exits Washington, Musk appears poised to refocus on stabilizing his companies — and salvaging his legacy.

Elon Musk has announced the end of his tenure as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a role he assumed following Donald Trump’s return to the White House. In a public statement, Musk thanked the President for the opportunity, noting that the mission to curb wasteful government spending is far from over and would eventually evolve into a “way of life” within the federal system.

Musk’s departure comes just a day after his first public criticism of Trump’s “big, beautiful” spending bill, which he argued runs counter to DOGE’s mission. “A bill can be big, or it can be beautiful. But I don't know if it can be both,” he quipped in a rare rebuke of the President.

Musk, once Trump’s most prominent supporter and top campaign donor, had become the face of DOGE’s aggressive cost-cutting drive. Under his watch, tens of thousands were cut from the federal payroll, and entire departments were either downsized or dismantled. Despite praise from fiscal conservatives, Musk’s hard-charging approach earned him powerful enemies within the administration.

In recent weeks, Musk began distancing himself from the political spotlight, citing frustration that DOGE had become a scapegoat for broader government dissatisfaction. A federal judge has since ruled that Musk must face a lawsuit over allegations of overreach and unauthorized access to sensitive government systems.

At the same time, his business empire has taken several hits. Tesla has been rocked by arson attacks and falling stock prices, SpaceX suffered a Starship explosion during its ninth test flight, and a two-hour outage of X led Musk to admit “major operational improvements” were urgently needed.

As he exits Washington, Musk appears poised to refocus on stabilizing his companies — and salvaging his legacy.