Elon Musk’s government reform crusade has come to an unexpected halt after just 130 days, as the tech mogul stepped down from his post as head of President Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The departure follows Musk’s public frustration with a massive spending bill he says directly contradicted his mission to slash federal waste.

Musk Slams “Big Beautiful Bill” as Budget Buster

Musk had pledged to cut $1 trillion in government bloat, but says he was blindsided by a Trump-backed tax-and-spend package that expanded the deficit. “A bill can be big or it can be beautiful,” Musk said, “but I don’t know if it can be both.”

Though Musk maintained a respectful tone in his resignation post, thanking Trump for the opportunity, his exit makes clear the billionaire had grown frustrated with Washington’s resistance to real reform. Conservative lawmakers like Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin voiced sympathy, admitting even the most brilliant private-sector minds get dragged down by D.C.’s bureaucratic inertia.

DOGE Cuts Praised and Criticized

In just four months, Musk’s DOGE initiative claims to have identified $160 billion in waste, slashing unnecessary contracts and trimming bloated payrolls. But critics argue the effort could backfire, potentially costing $135 billion in lost productivity and eventual rehiring.

ELON MUSK: "I really haven't been involved in politics until recently, I really just wanted to build technology.

But I came to the conclusion that we're really at a fork in the road of destiny of America and the western world, perhaps of civilization as a whole." pic.twitter.com/cVZVcscAwJ

— DogeDesigner (@cb_doge) March 29, 2025

Despite the controversy, the Trump administration is preparing a rescission package based on DOGE’s findings, aiming to make permanent cuts to foreign aid and non-essential programs. The president has not yet commented publicly on Musk’s exit but reportedly still views DOGE as a model for future reform.

Musk Heads Back to Tesla, Leaves Mixed Legacy

With the DOGE project in flux, Musk is returning his full focus to Tesla and SpaceX, reassuring shareholders concerned about his split priorities. Analysts say Musk’s brief stint in government may ultimately be remembered as a bold but doomed attempt to bring Silicon Valley efficiency to the swamp.

🚨Elon Musk Logs Off Government Mode

Elon Musk is done with his brief stint in Trump’s administration, where he ran the Department of Government Efficiency (yes, DOGE).

After 130 days of budget cuts and federal layoffs, he’s returning to his day jobs at Tesla and SpaceX pic.twitter.com/3waEHiRjlp

— METAMAX NEWS (@MetamaxNews) May 29, 2025

His exit leaves a vacuum in the Trump administration’s cost-cutting push—and underscores the deeper issue: even visionary outsiders struggle to fix a government that doesn’t want to be fixed.

Sources:

Elon Musk signals his time leading DOGE is coming to an end – CBS News

Elon Musk officially announces departure from Trump’s government | The Independent