Elon Musk to leave Trump administration: White House

Elon Musk is leaving the Trump administration, a White House official confirmed, according to Reuters.

The billionaire Tesla CEO's “off-boarding will begin tonight”, a White House official said.

His departure comes after a tumultuous period working to restructure the federal government.

The world’s richest person on May 28 thanked U.S. president Donald Trump in a post on X, as his time as a special government employee as part of the Department of Government Efficiency (Doge) draws to an end.

“The Doge mission will only strengthen over time as it becomes a way of life throughout the government,” Musk added.

Doge’s efforts to restructure and shrink the federal government will continue, the administration has said.

Nearly 12 per cent of jobs, or 260,000 of the 2.3 million-strong federal civilian workforce have been cut.

This was largely achieved via threats of firings, buyouts and early retirement offers, according to Reuters.

130-day mandate

Musk's time in Trump administration had a cap.

His 130-day mandate as a special government employee was to expire around May 30.

Musk's role as Trump's adviser has been criticised as some felt he should be managing Tesla more closely.

Musk has defended his role as an unelected official.

This was after he was granted unprecedented authority by Trump to dismantle parts of the U.S. government.

Musk on May 27 criticised the costliness of the Republicans’ tax and budget legislation making its way through Congress.

“I was disappointed to see the massive spending bill, frankly, which increases the budget deficit, not just decreases it, and undermines the work that the Doge team is doing,” Musk told CBS News.

Top photo via Elon Musk X