Elon Musk has stepped down as the head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), concluding his 130-day stint in the role.
The announcement came during a joint press conference with President Donald Trump held in the Oval Office.
Musk, who also serves as CEO of SpaceX and Tesla, had been appointed as a special government employee by Trump to lead a crackdown on wasteful federal spending.
DOGE was created with the aim of drastically reducing the size and cost of the federal government.
At the press event, Musk stated that while he is stepping down from the formal position, he expects DOGE to reach its target of cutting $1 trillion in unnecessary government expenditures “over time.” He said the project remains on track despite his departure.
Initially, Musk had predicted DOGE could eliminate $2 trillion in waste. That figure was revised downward during his time in office. By April 2025, Musk told Cabinet members the goal for the current fiscal year had been reduced to $150 billion.
He emphasized that identifying these cuts has proven difficult. “It’s just a lot of work going through the vast expenses of the federal government and just really asking questions,” Musk said. He described the process as labor-intensive and data-heavy.
Musk confirmed that he will continue working with Trump in an informal capacity, per Trending Politics.
“I expect to continue to provide advice, whenever the president would like advice,” he said, adding that he remains committed to serving the president however needed.
Trump acknowledged Musk’s remarks by responding, “I hope so.”
Musk then reiterated his willingness to serve in an advisory role and stated, “If there’s anything the president wants me to do, I’m at the president’s service.”
During Musk’s tenure, DOGE executed a wide range of cost-cutting measures.
According to internal agency data, DOGE canceled over 10,000 federal contracts, 15,000 grants, and nearly 500 real estate leases.
These actions reportedly saved the federal government $172 billion.
Officials familiar with the effort said many of the contracts and grants were outdated, duplicative, or tied to programs deemed low priority.
A high-profile success Musk highlighted was a sweeping audit of government-issued credit cards. The audit reviewed cards across 32 federal agencies, resulting in the deactivation of 523,000 unused or unverified cards.
DOGE has not been without controversy.
The agency’s aggressive push for spending cuts has drawn strong criticism, especially from liberals but also from some conservatives. Opponents have accused DOGE of overreach, citing mass layoffs and the dismantling of certain federal programs.
Critics argue that DOGE’s sweeping approach ignored nuances and sometimes eliminated services before alternative plans were in place.
Some watchdogs have called for more oversight of the agency going forward.
