After only 130 days on the job, Elon Musk has stepped down as head of the Department of Government Efficiency—or “DOGE,” as it’s been nicknamed.
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.
The @DOGE mission will only strengthen over time as it becomes a way of life throughout the government.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 29, 2025
If you’re wondering why he left, what he accomplished, and what it means for the future of cutting government waste, let’s get into it.
Musk’s Role: A Bold Plan with a Short Fuse
Elon Musk wasn’t your typical government employee.
He was brought on as a “Special Government Employee,” or SGE—a temporary role limited by law to 130 workdays per year.
President Trump tapped Musk to shake things up, and that’s exactly what he did.
DOGE was launched on January 20, 2025, the same day Trump returned to office.
Its goal? Cut $1 trillion a year in federal waste. That’s a big number—roughly 15% of the entire federal budget. Musk aimed high. At a Trump rally in 2024, he even claimed they could slash $2 trillion.
What DOGE Did (and Didn’t) Do
During his 130-day tenure, Musk and his team didn’t waste any time.
They started axing unnecessary government contracts and shutting down programs that didn’t serve the taxpayers.
They pulled the plug on $121,000 in USDA office leases in Kansas that nobody was even using.
They also went after foreign aid and public broadcasting.
The White House has proposed nearly $9.4 billion in cuts—including $8.3 billion to agencies like USAID and $1.1 billion from NPR and PBS.
Musk even flagged nearly $900,000 being spent on social media training in Serbia and Belarus as examples of ridiculous spending.
But here’s the rub: while Musk claimed DOGE had saved $150 billion by April, fact-checkers and watchdogs said, “Not so fast.”
Those savings weren’t locked in.
Congress still has to vote to make those cuts stick, and that’s where things hit a wall.
Political Roadblocks Ahead
On May 31, Congress is set to vote on some of those cuts, but insiders say Republicans are nervous.
If they push too hard, they risk backlash in the 2026 midterms.
If they don’t codify these cuts, they risk losing the base that elected them.
Musk’s Exit: What It Cost and What’s Next
Musk’s time in government wasn’t without consequences.
Tesla profits dropped 71% in the first quarter of 2025, and sales took a double-digit hit. His critics went after him hard.
Tesla dealerships were even targeted by protesters. He also received death threats, according to The Washington Post.
Despite all that, conservative voices like praised Musk for doing more in 130 days than some politicians have done in decades.
So, what’s next for DOGE?
Trump says the department’s mission ends July 4, 2026—just in time for America’s 250th birthday.
Some think the final move should be for DOGE to “delete itself,” proving its commitment to efficiency by shutting down once its job is done.
Bottom Line
Elon Musk’s brief government gig was bold, messy, and full of fireworks.
It stirred up real debate about how bloated and broken our federal bureaucracy has become.
While Musk may be out, the fight to rein in government waste isn’t over. The ball is now in Congress’s court.
Will they finally back up the bold promises they’ve made to voters—or will they let this once-in-a-generation chance to shrink the size of government slip away?
This article was written with the assistance of AI. Please verify information and consult additional sources as needed.
