Tech mogul Elon Musk is officially clocking out in Washington. Following a whirlwind turn as the head of Donald Trump's Department of Government Efficiency, cheekily and very much on purpose named the "DOGE," Musk let it be known his federal service was ending. And yes, "DOGE" is no longer just a crypto meme.
Musk tweets, announcing his free speech-friendly platform X (AKA Twitter): "As my time as a 'Special Government Employee' terminates, I would like to thank @realDonaldTrump for the opportunity to help solve our country's most pressing problems. "The @DOGE plan will continue to grow into a way of life across the government."
So what was Musk's role in this anyway? As a "special government employee," he was permitted to work up to 130 days on federal matters yearly. And speaking of Trump's inauguration on January 20, Musk, as a member of two of the president's 19 business-advisory councils, will become unemployed by the end of May.
It was never a smooth ride, but things got terrible toward the end. Just this week, Musk had his tongue in cheek about Trump's cherished budget bill, describing it as a "big, beautiful...compromise" that tends to fall short of its promises. In an interview with CBS, he said the bill's enormous tax cuts and military spending hikes could blow up the deficit and "damage the work" "DOGE" has been doing to eliminate waste.
White House is set to offboard Musk from his government position on Wednesday evening. There's no indication of bad blood, at least not yet, but the shake-up comes at a crucial time for Musk's primary business interests, and Tesla, in particular, is feeling the pinch. Profits have declined, and the company refused to give a growth forecast, warning that "changing political sentiment," including potential resistance to vehicle demand, was a threat.
Musk made it plain during last week's earnings call: His political days are numbered, and his focus is returning to where it all started: Tesla and SpaceX. "My attention in DOGE will be reduced," he added, promising shareholders more attention.
Even so, Musk's departure isn't necessarily a farewell. If anything, it's more of a see-you-later. His last post suggested that "DOGE" wasn't just a department but a philosophy that he believes can and will continue transforming government operations. Call it ambition or good old-fashioned Musk optimism, Elon doesn't go quietly when he leaves the building.
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