The White House has responded.
The White House responded Wednesday afternoon to multiple reports, citing unnamed sources, suggesting that Elon Musk may soon step down from his role in the Trump administration. Musk himself had recently hinted at his departure, with President Donald Trump stating this week that Musk would eventually return to managing his companies. Trump also mentioned that the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which Musk leads, would come to an end.
Politico published a report on Wednesday, based on anonymous sources, claiming that Trump had informed certain members of his Cabinet that Musk would be leaving his role soon. However, White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt dismissed the report on social media, calling it “garbage.” She clarified that both Musk and Trump had already publicly confirmed that Musk would exit public service once his work with DOGE is complete. As a special government employee, Musk is required to leave after 130 days, which means he will likely depart by the end of May.
Musk had previously mentioned that the goal of reducing the deficit by a trillion dollars would likely be achieved by that time. Meanwhile, Musk faced a setback in Wisconsin, where voters rejected a state Supreme Court candidate he had supported. In addition, Tesla’s sales dropped 13% year over year in the first quarter, and the company’s stock has seen a decline of more than 35% since the beginning of 2025.
The timeline for the closure of DOGE remains unclear. Initially created by Trump in January via executive order, DOGE was intended to address government inefficiencies, but it has faced some legal challenges, including a court ruling in late March that blocked its access to certain government data. Trump mentioned last week that he expected significant progress with DOGE’s work in the coming months. Musk has not given a specific date for his departure, and it’s uncertain how the administration is tracking his time, as it will be 130 days from Trump’s inauguration on May 30.
Trump has praised Musk’s talents but acknowledged that Musk’s business responsibilities at Tesla would eventually require his return. Musk had expressed concerns that his work with the administration was affecting Tesla’s stock price, partly due to protests and vandalism at Tesla locations. However, he believes that the dip is temporary and expects Tesla’s stock to recover in the future.
