Elon Musk Steps Back From Trump-Backed Government Efficiency Role

Elon Musk, who invested heavily in supporting Donald Trump and spearheaded the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to cut federal spending, is now pulling back from politics and scaling down his government involvement. Despite initial progress such as dismantling agencies like USAID and cutting budgets at FEMA and IRS, Musk expressed disappointment with a recent domestic policy bill backed by Trump and Republicans, criticizing it for increasing the budget deficit and undermining DOGE's efforts. Musk’s frustration appears rooted in the GOP-led Congress not codifying his proposed reforms and the backlash his initiatives generated, including legal challenges and public disapproval. He indicated that he has done enough political spending and does not currently see a reason to continue, reflecting disillusionment with his political influence after setbacks such as the defeat of a conservative candidate he supported. Experts suggest Musk realized the difficulty in achieving deep government cuts and the political fallout may have motivated his retreat. Overall, Musk is refocusing on his business ventures while stepping back from his political ambitions and government advisory roles.