Elon Musk Leaves Trump Administration Role Leading Government Efficiency Effort

Elon Musk has officially stepped down from his role as a Special Government Employee leading the Trump administration's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), concluding his scheduled 130-day appointment. During his tenure, Musk pursued aggressive cost-cutting measures and restructuring of federal agencies, though he faced significant resistance, scaled back spending reduction targets, and expressed frustration with bureaucratic obstacles. Despite his departure, Musk installed loyal personnel to continue DOGE's initiatives, such as IT modernization and overhauling retirement systems, but the Trump administration is shifting from Musk's sweeping "chainsaw" approach to a more targeted "scalpel" strategy under new leader Russell Vought. Critics warn that DOGE's aggressive cuts have degraded essential services in agencies like USAID and the Department of Education, while supporters emphasize the ongoing mission to reduce wasteful government spending. Musk thanked President Trump for the opportunity and indicated that DOGE's mission would persist beyond his involvement, even as he refocuses on his private enterprises like Tesla and SpaceX.