Elon Musk has announced he is stepping away from his short-lived political role, expressing disappointment in the Trump administration’s latest fiscal policies.

Musk, who served as a Special Government Employee, a temporary role allowing up to 130 working days per year, was scheduled to exit on May 28. But the Tesla and SpaceX CEO resigned three days early, shortly after publicly criticizing what President Trump dubbed his “big, beautiful bill.”

In a preview clip aired by CBS on May 27, Musk said: “I was disappointed to see the massive spending bill, frankly, it increases the budget deficit, not decreases it, and undermines the work that the DOGE team is doing.”

“I think a bill can be big or it can be beautiful… but I don’t know if it can be both,” he added, per CBS.

According to the BBC, Elon Musk’s remarks prompted the White House to begin the offboarding process ahead of schedule.

On his platform X, Musk confirmed the move, writing: “As my scheduled time as a Special Government Employee comes to an end, I’d like to thank President @realDonaldTrump for the opportunity to reduce wasteful spending. The @DOGE mission will only grow stronger as it becomes a way of life across government.”

So far, Trump has not issued a direct statement. However, a cryptic meme posted on Truth Social showed the president walking alone on a dark street with the caption: “He’s on a mission from God & nothing can stop what is coming.”

Credit: Win McNamee / Getty.
Musk’s position wasn’t elected, but he co-led the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) alongside entrepreneur and former presidential hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy. Their task: slash government waste, streamline bureaucracy, and cut costs; plans that included mass layoffs, dismantling DEI programs, and major cuts to the Department of Education.

Elon Musk had previously pledged to shut down the department entirely by July 4, 2026, aiming to symbolically align the project’s end with U.S. Independence Day.

What Is the “Big, Beautiful Bill”?
The newly introduced spending bill includes massive increases in defense spending, tax breaks in the trillions, and President Trump’s proposed “Golden Dome” missile defense system.

Although the bill narrowly passed the House of Representatives, it still needs Senate approval. Critics, including Musk, argue it could add up to $600 billion in government spending in the next fiscal year, directly contradicting the DOGE department’s mission of fiscal restraint.

While Musk’s time in government was always meant to be temporary, his exit, paired with sharp public criticism, marks a high-profile rift between two of the Republican Party’s most visible figures.