Billionaire and the head of the US government's Department of Efficiency (DOGE) Elon Musk said that his term of office in the American administration is coming to an end and expressed his gratitude to President Donald Trump.
"As my tenure as a special public servant is coming to an end, I want to express my gratitude to President Donald Trump for the opportunity to reduce wasteful spending," – he wrote on his X social network.
The entrepreneur added that the future of the Government Efficiency Department (DOGE), which he led, is beyond doubt. In his opinion, it "will grow stronger over time and become a way of life for the entire government".
"The mission of DOGE will only strengthen over time, as it becomes a way of life across all branches of government," – he added.
A day earlier, in an interview with CBS, Musk expressed his disappointment with Trump's "big and beautiful" law on taxes and budget. According to him, the law would undermine efforts to cut expenses and lead to an increase in the budget deficit.
After Trump was elected president for the second time, Musk was appointed as a "special public servant", which allowed him to work for the state for 130 days a year. Calculated from the inauguration day on May 20th, this term would end by the end of May.
Recent events indicate that the White House began the official process of releasing the founder of Tesla and SpaceX from his public service position on the night of Thursday's transition.
Reuters, relying on its sources, reported that Musk had not spoken with Trump before announcing his resignation. At the same time, according to them, the decision was made "at the highest level".
Moreover, according to the agency's source, Musk's departure was "quick and without any ceremonies".
In April, Musk stated he was planning to work more in his companies, allocating only one to two days a week for DOGE. Later, he mentioned he was planning to reduce donations for political projects.
Musk blamed the entrenched bureaucracy in the US for not achieving all the goals set by DOGE, but according to AFP, his authoritarian style and lack of awareness of ongoing political processes in Washington also played a crucial role.
"The situation with federal bureaucracy is worse than I thought, – he said. – I knew there were problems, but to put it mildly, improving the situation in Washington is a very difficult task."
Musk admitted not achieving all goals despite tens of thousands of people being laid off from public service and the downsizing or closure of several agencies and departments.
