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While Elon Musk is hinting at a timeline for his departure from the Trump administration, the White House is keeping it more fluid.
Musk is leading the Department of Government Efficiency through firings and restructuring at various agencies while functioning as a “special government employee,” a status that allows an individual to serve in the executive branch for a maximum of 130 days per year. Asked last week by Fox News’ Bret Baier whether he thinks he’ll work beyond that timeframe, Musk said he believes DOGE will have “accomplished most of the work required to reduce the deficit by” his goal of $1 trillion by the time May ends.
But inside the administration, the formal expiration of Musk’s status doesn’t seem firm, and many are not looking that far ahead. One Trump official said there’s no set timeline on Musk’s departure and suggested the administration would have more clarity on his role once the Trump White House passes its own 100-day mark at the end of this month.
Trump also left it open on Monday when asked about Musk’s end date at DOGE — while making clear that at some point the Tesla, X, and SpaceX owner’s work will be finished.
Musk is “amazing, but I also think he’s got a big company to run and so at some point he’s going to be going back,” Trump said. “He wants to. I’d keep him as long as I could keep him.”
The president also said he “couldn’t tell” reporters whether DOGE would continue operating after Musk ultimately leaves, though he signaled that Cabinet secretaries would eventually be able to take on the work “with a scalpel.” Those secretaries, Trump added, “have gotten a big education” on DOGE.
“They’ve learned a lot, and they’re dealing with the DOGE people,” Trump said. “I think some of them may try and keep the DOGE people with them. But, you know, at a certain point I think it will end.”
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Questions about when Musk might step away from DOGE are growing as the effect of its sweeping federal workforce and contract cuts continue to hit virtually every part of the government.
It’s also been a tumultuous few weeks for Tesla stock: Over the weekend, Musk himself said that the value of his stock in the company he co-founded has fallen by half, adding that the work he’s doing with the US government has proven to be “very expensive.”
As of Tuesday, the DOGE website alleges that it has saved roughly $140 billion — a total that has drawn skeptical coverage from multiple media outlets that have dug into its claims. That money is still a fraction of the $1 trillion in savings Musk hopes to achieve by the end of May.
Trump’s initial order creating DOGE specified an end date for its work of July 4, 2026.
Shelby’s view
Two people will ultimately decide how long Musk stays in the White House: Musk and Trump.
Despite the drama surrounding DOGE, the president has maintained confidence in Musk, who often travels with him to his Mar-a-Lago estate on the weekends. But Musk, by his own admission, is losing money while working for the federal government — and there’s likely a limit to how long he’s willing to turn his focus from his companies.
The 130-day “special government employee” timeline could also provide the administration with the perfect, low-drama reason to offload Musk if it decides DOGE’s work is done (or if Trump tires of the billionaire, though there’s so far no signs of that happening).
Notable
- Several of Musk’s DOGE workers have gone back to their previous jobs, The Information reported.
- The Trump administration maintains that DOGE acting administrator Amy Gleason is the formal leader of the Musk-championed cost-cutting effort. NBC News profiled her recently.