The White House announced on Wednesday, April 2, that the tech billionaire Elon Musk would leave the administration upon completion of his tenure at the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). It remains to be seen when. This clarification follows the publication of an article on the news website Politico, according to which the US president had informed his inner circle that Elon Musk would be leaving his post in the coming weeks.
Elon Musk has been tasked by Donald Trump with making sweeping cuts to government spending and dismantling several federal agencies. But his unconventional style isn’t to everyone’s taste, especially among the Republican establishment and President Donald Trump’s inner circle within his administration.
Under Fire from the Democratic Opposition
Elon Musk is facing several difficulties. He had thrown all his political and financial weight behind the election of a judge to the Wisconsin Supreme Court, but suffered a terrible electoral setback with the victory, on Monday, April 1, of a Democratic judge, Susan Crawford. Crawford was campaigning against Brad Schimel, backed by Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk, whose victory would have tilted Wisconsin’s highest court to the conservative side.
Elon Musk’s celebrity endorsement infuriated Democrats even more than it helped Judge Schimel, who was soundly defeated by his Democratic opponent. Democratic Senator Cory Booker denounced Musk’s involvement in the Wisconsin local elections on the Senate floor:
“We live in a country where we’re giving billionaires more and more ways to use their wealth to rig the system and then get even richer.”
So it wouldn’t be surprising if Donald Trump and his entourage thought his presence wouldn’t be very beneficial. And that it would be more profitable for him to step back. For his part, Elon Musk could reap some benefits for his business by being less visible on the national political scene.
A Tactical Retreat, Not a Total Break?
According to Romuald Sciora, director of the American Political and Geostrategic Observatory, this estrangement could only be temporary:
“If this departure were to be confirmed, Trump has no interest, one year before the midterm elections, in falling out with Elon Musk, knowing the firepower that Elon Musk retains through his fortune and the X network.”
“As for Elon Musk, he needs Donald Trump to develop most of his projects. In short, even if Elon Musk were to leave the government, which seems likely, this would in no way mean a rift between the two men or the end of their partnership.”
On Monday, March 31, President Donald Trump said, “I think (Elon Musk) is great, but I also think he’s got a great company to run, so at some point he’s going to come back. That’s what he wants.”
White House Pushes Back on Exit Rumors
On Wednesday, April 2, the White House denied reports from Politico that the US president had told people close to him that the Tesla, SpaceX, and X boss would end his advisory role in the coming weeks, aiming to cut government spending. “Both Elon Musk and President Trump have publicly stated that Elon will step down from his role as a special government employee when his incredible work leading DOGE is complete,” it added.