Elon Musk exit is due to federal spending backlash

Elon Musk, Tesla mogul and billionaire advisor to President Donald Trump, has stepped down from his role as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) on May 28th, according to AP.

The departure came as a result of Musk’s efforts to reduce federal spending and upturn federal bureaucracy, butting heads with Trump over the administration’s tax-and-spending budget bill, passed by the House of Representatives on May 22^nd by a singular vote.

In a post on X on May 28^th, Musk said that his time in office had “come to an end”. He continued: “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.”

Musk’s stint in the White House was one plagued with controversy, witnessing layoffs, the removal of government agencies and an attempt to eradicate the US Agency for International Development (USAID), a body responsible for distributing foreign aid.

His targets for spending cuts decreased from $2 trillion, then to $1 trillion, to $150 billion, and was vocal about his exasperation at members of Trump’s administration who disapproved of his goals.

Musk’s role in the White House was set out to be a temporary one: as a ‘special government employee’ he was only intended to serve for 130 days in any 365-day period, restricted from using governmental roles for pecuniary gain. He hinted recently that he would be going back to running his businesses, such as his vehicle company Tesla and rocket company SpaceX.

Musk announced the decision a day after an interview conducted by CBS was released, in which he expressed his aversion to Trump’s legislative spending agenda, which the President called “One Big Beautiful Bill”, stating he was “disappointed to see the massive spending bill”.

The bill is comprised of tax cuts and heightened immigration control, with Musk criticising it for undermining his work at DOGE and increasing the budget deficit.

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

On May 28th in the Oval Office, Trump defended the legislation by stating: “I’m not happy about certain aspects of it, but I’m thrilled by other aspects of it”. He also put forward that it could do with more development, saying: “We’re going to see what happens. It’s got a way to go.”

Speaker Mike Johnson has called for minimal amendment to the bill, claiming that its “very delicate balance” could be hindered with any major changes. The House will be voting again on final passage once the Senate amends the bill.

Johnson has thanked Musk for his contribution to the administration and set future plans for more spending cuts, commenting: “the House is eager and ready to act on DOGE’s findings”.

Republican leaders say that economic growth will reduce the bill’s deficit, yet The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget believes the bill would add an additional $3 trillion in debt over the next ten years.

The White House plans to revoke some previously authorised spending, in order to support some of DOGE’s proposed cuts. A spokesperson for the Office of Management and Budget said that $1.1 billion from the Corporation of Public Broadcasting would support this, with an additional $8.3 billion in foreign help.

Musk on occasion seemed limited in his work for the Trump administration. He told The Washington Post: “The federal bureaucracy situation is much worse than I realised. I thought there were problems, but it sure is an uphill battle trying to improve things in D.C., to say the least.”

Musk-Trump relations have remained warm throughout Musk’s period in government, with the Tesla chief zealous in his praise of the President, saying in February: “Frankly, I love him”. Trump returned the affection by describing Musk as “a truly great American”.

Trump is yet to appoint a replacement for a DOGE chief.

AP News/Al Jazeera