Elon Musk drops Trump bombshell and reveals real reason for White House exit
The tycoon thanks the President of the United States for the opportunity, but leaves criticizing the government's mega fiscal and budgetary project.
It was not a day to remember for Donald Trump. On the same evening that the US International Trade Court blocked a large part of his tariff policy, Elon Musk – his right-hand man since entering the White House – announced his resignation from the administration, voicing criticism and disappointment.
The billionaire, owner of Tesla and SpaceX, made his departure from Trump’s team public after expressing “disappointment” with the president’s recently announced mega tax and budget project, which he believes “undermines” his work as an advisor in the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), the post he has held under the Republican presidency.
“As my scheduled time as a Special Government Employee comes to an end,” Musk began in a brief post on his X account. “I would like to thank 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.”
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.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 29, 2025
The @DOGE mission will only strengthen over time as it becomes a way of life throughout the government.
130 days is the limit for SGEs.
The billionaire’s thanks, however, came after criticism of Trump. In a preview of an interview set to air Sunday on CBS Sunday Morning, Musk voices his “disappointment” with the president’s fiscal and budgetary policies.
Musk explains his disappointment – and what’s next
“Frankly, I was disappointed to see the massive spending bill, which increases the budget deficit instead of reducing it, and undermines the work the DOGE team has been doing,” says the former Trump advisor in the teaser of the interview, referring to the Republican administration’s sweeping budget legislation.
With that, Musk steps away from active politics and leaves the US government. His intentions, as he revealed a few days ago, are to refocus on his companies – especially X, his AI startup xAI, and Tesla, which has lost substantial value and suffered reputational damage worldwide since Trump took office.
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