Elon Musk, one of the most influential humans of the 21st century, has announced that he will step away from his official advisory role within the Trump administration, marking the end of a productive chapter for DOGE.
The Tesla and SpaceX CEO announced his choice to step away from his advisory role late Wednesday in a post on X, saying that his tenure as a Special Government Employee had come to its scheduled 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.
The @DOGE mission will only strengthen over time as it becomes a way of life throughout the government.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 29, 2025
Musk’s advisory work in DOGE, in which he helped bring red tape federal waste into the national spotlight, was more than symbolic.
Since its establishment by executive order at the start of Trump’s second term earlier this year, the agency has reported over $175 billion in government savings, including a series of huge cuts to bloated contracts previously covered by The Dallas Express.
White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Stephen Miller praised the work Musk helped spearhead in another X post this week, saying, “The work DOGE has done to eliminate government waste and corruption – the rot embedded deep within Washington – is among the most valuable services ever rendered to government. And the work has only just begun.”
While some critics have attempted to diminish Musk’s influence, protests and growing patterns of violent attacks against Tesla dealerships and owners make his impact impossible to deny.
Yet even some Musk haters admit that a $175 billion reduction in waste is difficult to ignore, let alone not appreciate.
DOGE was meant to be temporary by design, so maybe Musk’s departure is a good sign for scheduling.
The agency is still officially scheduled to end its work on July 4, 2026.
Some Americans believe that Musk’s efforts and the billions in taxpayer savings he helped generate demonstrate a significant legacy for the American government.