Elon Musk has officially resigned from his temporary position as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) under President Donald Trump, signaling a shift back to concentrating on his technology companies, including Tesla and SpaceX.
Musk announced his departure on his social media platform X, expressing gratitude to Trump for the opportunity to reduce government waste. His role as a special government employee was limited to 130 days annually, a term that ended in late May 2025. During his tenure, Musk led efforts that resulted in cutting approximately 260,000 federal civilian jobs, though he scaled back his initial budget-cutting goals from $2 trillion to $150 billion.
The Tesla and SpaceX CEO voiced disappointment with Trump’s recent budget bill, which he criticized for increasing the federal deficit and undermining the efficiency mission of DOGE. Musk’s exit comes amid a notable 13% drop in Tesla’s sales in the first quarter of the year and a significant decline in the company’s stock price, prompting shareholders to call for Musk’s full-time focus on Tesla.
A coalition of Tesla investors recently urged the company’s board to secure Musk’s commitment to dedicating at least 40 hours per week to Tesla, citing concerns over the company’s volatility and Musk’s divided attention between politics and business.
Despite reports of a potential CEO search, Tesla’s board chair Robyn Denholm reaffirmed confidence in Musk’s leadership and his plans for the company’s growth.
Musk has indicated he will reduce his political donations and commitments moving forward, emphasizing a renewed focus on his tech ventures.
