Elon Musk announced on Thursday that his role as a special government employee at the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has concluded. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Musk expressed gratitude to President Donald Trump for the opportunity to contribute to reducing wasteful spending.
Following his exit, President Trump indicated on Truth Social that Musk might continue to support the administration in other capacities. The possibility remains open despite Musk’s official end of service with DOGE, a department specifically tasked with reviewing and restructuring federal spending and bureaucracy.
During his tenure, Musk sometimes diverged from President Trump’s vision, notably critiquing the president’s “One, Big, Beautiful Bill“, warning it could increase rather than decrease the national deficit. Additionally, Musk advocated for zero tariffs between the US and Europe, a stance that contrasts with the tariff threats discussed by Trump on European steel and aluminum.
Established to address inefficiencies, DOGE claims it has saved around $175 billion since its inception. One of its controversial actions involved the attempted dismantling of the US Agency for International Development (USAID), aligning with Trump’s efforts to reevaluate foreign aid allocations. This move faced criticism from various human rights organizations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch.
Musk first assumed the role in November 2024, appointed alongside Vivek Ramaswamy to head the DOGE, a body formed to offer external insight into reducing government expenses. Special government employment is notably temporary, with terms limited to 130 days. With Musk’s departure, efforts to cut down government expenditure and improve efficiency continue, targeting a completion date of July 4, 2026.
For a detailed account of Musk’s departure from DOGE, visit the full article on JURIST – News.