President Donald Trump has privately told members of his cabinet and close advisers that Elon Musk will complete his duties as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in the coming weeks, Politico reports.
While Musk is expected to retain some influence, likely as an informal advisor, his departure would be a significant departure from the Trump administration's sentiment a month ago, when senior White House officials said Musk was "here to stay" and suggested Trump would find ways to extend his tenure.
The decision, which was reportedly mutual between Trump and Musk, came amid growing frustration with Musk's behavior within the administration and among Republican allies. Several officials described Musk as a disruptive force who often bypassed traditional lines of communication, catching Cabinet secretaries off guard, making last-minute announcements and using his social network X to publicize untested plans, including sweeping cuts to federal agencies.
Tensions reached a new peak this week when a conservative judge backed by Musk lost a high-profile race for a seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court by a 10-point margin. Democrats quickly seized on the $20 million Musk had invested in the race, casting the election as a referendum on the billionaire’s expanding political influence.
"Anyone who thinks Elon is completely gone is fooling themselves," said one senior official, noting that Musk’s informal influence is likely to remain. Another insider acknowledged that Musk’s departure is largely a political necessity.
Trump began laying the groundwork for Musk’s departure more than a week before the Wisconsin vote. At a cabinet meeting on March 24, the president reportedly told attendees that Musk would soon be stepping down from his formal role. He later publicly praised Musk, calling him a "patriot" and "my friend," surrounded by cabinet members who had previously clashed with the tech mogul over his aggressive government-reduction agenda.
"Elon, I want to thank you — I know you've been through a lot," Trump said, referring to the death threats and recent acts of vandalism against Tesla cars.
Musk showed his willingness to move on in an interview with Fox News' Bret Baier on Thursday, saying his department would "do most of the work needed to reduce the $1 trillion deficit" before the end of his temporary "special civil servant" status, which Musk will be able to use until early June.
Trump echoed that sentiment Monday night, telling reporters: "At some point Elon’s gonna want to go back to his company... He wants to. I’d keep him as long as I could keep him."
White House press secretary Harrison Fields highlighted Musk's contributions, saying on Tuesday: "Elon has been instrumental in executing the President’s agenda, and will continue this good work until the President says otherwise."
But many in Trump’s orbit are now quietly welcoming the change. Musk’s tenure at DOGE has been marked by controversy, from drastic budget cuts to government agencies to an infamous weekend email that required federal employees to report every hour they worked. One mistake even led to an unintended cut to Ebola prevention programs.
What worries Republicans the most is the political liability that Elon Musk has become. His alliance with Trump has energized Democrats and helped unite the progressive opposition. His political stance — including his support for the far-right German AfD party — has even some conservatives worried.
"Elon helped. But there is a sense of relief that the DOGE circus may finally be ending," said one senior Trump administration aide.