NewsElon Musk exits the Trump administration after a cost-cutting tenure

Elon Musk exits the Trump administration after a cost-cutting tenure

Elon Musk announced the conclusion of his role in the Donald Trump administration, where he served as a special government employee.

Elon Musk and Donald Trump
Elon Musk and Donald Trump
Images source: © Getty Images | Kayla Bartkowski
Paweł Buczkowski

What do you need to know?

  • Elon Musk served as a special government employee in the Donald Trump administration, focusing on reducing expenditures.
  • His time in this role is coming to an end due to the 130-day work limit per year.
  • Musk expressed gratitude to President Trump for the opportunity to work on cutting unnecessary spending.

Why is Elon Musk leaving the Trump administration?

Elon Musk, the well-known billionaire and entrepreneur, announced on Thursday at 9:00 PM Eastern Time that his tenure as the leader of the cost-reduction team (DOGE) in the Donald Trump administration is coming to an end.

"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," wrote Musk.

In his post on platform X, he expressed hope that the government efficiency agency, known as Doge, would continue to grow and strengthen.

Musk served as a special government employee, which allowed him to work for the government for 130 days a year. Based on this limit, his work time concludes in late May.

What are the reactions to Musk's departure?

The White House confirmed that the process of ending his role as a special government employee began on Wednesday evening. Musk had previously criticized some of Trump's decisions, including a bill involving multi-billion-dollar tax breaks and increased defence spending.

Musk emphasized that his work in the administration focused on reducing unnecessary expenditures, which he considers crucial for government efficiency. However, his departure from the administration does not mark the end of his involvement in public affairs.

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