Elon Musk officially stepped down from his role as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), closing out a whirlwind 130-day tenure that left a permanent mark on the Trump administration’s campaign to slash federal waste and reform bloated bureaucracy. During a farewell ceremony in the Oval Office, President Donald Trump personally thanked Musk for his service and presented him with a ceremonial golden key to mark the occasion.
Wearing a jacket emblazoned with the DOGE emblem, Musk delivered a parting message that was anything but a goodbye. “This is not the end of DOGE,” Musk declared. “It’s really just the beginning. The DOGE team will only grow stronger over time.”
Under Musk’s leadership, DOGE claimed to have identified over $160 billion in potential savings, with long-term projections aiming to reduce government spending by as much as $1 trillion. The department moved aggressively to eliminate wasteful contracts, shutter unnecessary programs, and overhaul outdated agencies. While Musk’s results drew praise from fiscal conservatives, critics questioned the methodology behind the savings estimates and raised concerns about job cuts and abrupt agency closures.
Despite the controversy, Trump hailed Musk’s work as transformative. “Elon brought private-sector discipline to the federal government in a way no one has before,” the president said. “He’s helped us take a wrecking ball to the Deep State waste machine.”
Musk’s departure comes amid some reported internal friction, particularly over a recent federal spending package that he publicly criticized for undermining DOGE’s mission. He also faced scrutiny over potential conflicts of interest due to his leadership roles at Tesla, SpaceX, and other companies. Nevertheless, Musk made clear that he remains committed to the goals of the department.
While stepping away from an official government role, Musk said he will continue to serve as an informal advisor to the administration and support the broader movement to reform Washington. “I’m going back to focus on Tesla, SpaceX, and a few other projects,” he said, “but I’ll always be a supporter of what we’ve started here.”
As DOGE prepares for new leadership, the question now is whether the momentum Musk helped generate can be sustained—and whether Congress will codify his cost-cutting reforms into law, as President Trump has promised. One thing is certain: Musk’s short but impactful stint in Washington has already shifted how Americans think about government accountability—and he’s not done pushing.