Elon Musk Announces Exit from Trump Administration as 130-Day Government Stint Ends

After a whirlwind 130 days in Washington, tech billionaire Elon Musk is officially stepping down from his role in the Trump administration. Serving as a “special government employee,” Musk had a limited-term appointment—one that he appears to be wrapping up right on schedule.

A White House official confirmed to ABC News that Musk’s off-boarding process began Wednesday evening. The announcement marks the end of a short but attention-grabbing chapter in the ever-evolving relationship between one of America’s most prominent tech entrepreneurs and the political world.

Musk, who’s never been shy about sharing his thoughts, took to X (formerly Twitter) to express his gratitude. “As my scheduled time as a Special Government Employee comes to an end, I would like to thank President @realDonaldTrump for the opportunity to reduce wasteful spending,” Musk wrote. “Our Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) team will continue working across the federal government. The mission will only strengthen over time as it becomes a way of life.”

His post signals that while his formal role may be over, Musk sees the principles of the DOGE initiative—cutting waste, streamlining operations, and encouraging innovation—as something that could stick long after he’s gone.

The DOGE program, named with a tongue-in-cheek nod to Musk’s famous affinity for cryptocurrency (particularly Dogecoin), was created to help identify and cut inefficiencies in federal agencies. Although few specific policy outcomes from the initiative have been made public, Musk has previously hinted at applying private-sector discipline to bloated bureaucracies.

Musk’s stint as a government employee was always going to be a short one. Under federal ethics laws, “special government employees” are limited to working 130 days in a single year. Musk was rapidly approaching that threshold this week, meaning his departure was both anticipated and inevitable.

Throughout his time in Washington, Musk remained something of an enigma—simultaneously an insider and outsider. Though often seen in high-level meetings and at the side of President Trump, he maintained his trademark independence. His role, which some critics dismissed as symbolic, nevertheless gave him a direct line to power and a platform to advocate for what he sees as smarter, tech-forward governance.

Photos from earlier this year showed Musk seated in the Oval Office, listening intently as President Trump outlined his goals for government reform. Critics on both sides of the aisle debated whether Musk’s presence signaled serious change or just another splashy headline. Either way, few figures could draw as much attention—or controversy—as Elon Musk.

While Musk’s time as an official member of the administration is over, don’t expect him to disappear from the political conversation. He’s likely to continue pushing ideas from the sidelines—whether through social media, public appearances, or the sheer gravitational pull of his influence. And with a presidential election looming, it’s safe to assume that Musk’s voice, like it or not, will remain part of the national dialogue.

For now, though, the DOGE team marches on without its high-profile figurehead. Whether Musk’s departure marks the end of a bold experiment or the beginning of something more permanent remains to be seen.

Stay tuned—when it comes to Elon Musk, the story is never really over.