Elon exits Washington: Musk steps down from Trump role after clash over ‘big, beautiful’ bill

Elon Musk has officially unplugged from Washington – and it’s fair to say the sparks were flying on the way out.

The world’s richest man has confirmed he’s stepping down from his post in Donald Trump’s administration, ending his short but headline-grabbing stint as head of the Department of Government Efficiency — affectionately (or awkwardly) dubbed DOGE.

Musk, who held the role of Special Government Employee, was brought in to trim bureaucracy and slash federal spending. And while his departure had long been scheduled — 130 days per year is the legal limit — the timing has raised eyebrows, coming just hours after he publicly criticised Trump’s cornerstone tax-and-spend bill.

In a statement on X (formerly Twitter), Musk wrote:

“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. The @DOGE mission will only strengthen over time as it becomes a way of life throughout the government.”

But behind the polite post lies a deeper story — one of economic ambition, political friction, and a budget bill that, in Musk’s eyes, threatened to undo the very work he’d been enlisted to carry out.

Clash of visions: Efficiency meets excess?

DOGE was Musk’s attempt to bring Silicon Valley-style streamlining to the US government. His original target? A cool $2 trillion in cuts. That was later revised down to $150 billion — still bold by any standard.

And there were results: nearly 260,000 federal jobs were cut or exited via buyouts and early retirements. But some of the layoffs sparked controversy, with courts intervening after departments like the US nuclear programme were hit by error.

Musk acknowledged the strain, telling The Washington Post:

“I thought there were problems, but it sure is an uphill battle trying to improve things in DC, to say the least.”

And that uphill battle grew steeper last week when Trump’s new bill — dubbed the One Big Beautiful Bill — passed through the House. The legislation, while delivering on several Trump campaign promises, adds an estimated $2.3 trillion to the deficit, according to the Congressional Budget Office.

Speaking to CBS, Musk said:

“I think a bill can be big, or it can be beautiful. But I don’t know if it can be both.”

Tesla turbulence adds pressure

While Musk was busy in DC, things back at Tesla were far from autopilot.

The company posted a 71% drop in quarterly profits, its steepest decline in years. Vehicle deliveries also fell sharply — down 13% — and the share price took a hit, at one point dipping 45%.

Activists staged protests at Tesla showrooms and charging points, prompting US Attorney General Pam Bondi to warn that vandalism could be treated as “domestic terrorism.”

Musk later admitted his focus had been stretched thin, telling investors he would now be “allocating far more of my time to Tesla.”

It was a pragmatic pivot — one that some investors had quietly hoped for.

A costly political chapter?

Musk’s role in the Trump administration was never just ceremonial. He became one of the President’s most prominent backers, spending nearly $300 million supporting Trump’s 2024 campaign and Republican causes.

He even promised an additional $100 million for the 2026 midterms — though as of this week, reports suggest that cheque remains uncashed.

Now, that era appears to be drawing to a close. Speaking at a forum in Qatar, Musk said plainly:

“I think I’ve done enough.”

There were also reports of tensions with senior White House officials and frustration over Musk being left out of a major OpenAI deal involving Abu Dhabi — a deal Musk reportedly tried to block unless his own AI firm was included.

What now for DOGE?

The White House says the DOGE programme will continue, with or without Musk at the helm. But it’s hard to ignore that the initiative’s most recognisable face — and biggest personality — is moving on.

Whether DOGE thrives or fades will likely depend on what happens next with Trump’s bill, which is already facing pushback from within his own party.

For Musk, the chapter ends with a nod to public service — and perhaps a hint of weariness from the political battlefield.

Before a Space X launch on Tuesday, May 28, he told The Post:

‘Doge is just becoming the whipping boy for everything… Something bad would happen anywhere, and we would get blamed for it even if we had nothing to do with it.’

Final thoughts?

Musk’s departure isn’t a dramatic split, but it’s not exactly a warm farewell either. It’s the end of a bold experiment in tech-meets-government — one that showed flashes of promise, flashes of chaos, and no shortage of headlines.

For now, the billionaire returns to familiar territory: rockets, robots, and the rollercoaster of electric car sales. He has a lot to sort out in his backyard.

But in Washington, DOGE remains — leaner, meaner, but missing its top dog.

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