By Joke Kujenya
MOUNTING POLITICAL tension and spiralling budget disputes has ended Elon Musk’s short-lived tenure at the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in the United States government, where his mission to slash federal waste collided with the realities of entrenched bureaucracy.
He described the effort as “an uphill battle” and confirmed his exit after reaching the 130-day limit imposed on Special Government Employees.
The DOGE initiative, launched under President Trump’s administration, claimed to have saved $175 billion by cutting 260,000 federal jobs and restructuring 11 agencies.
However, experts continue to challenge the legitimacy of these figures.
Musk’s original goal of $2 trillion in cuts was quietly revised to $150 billion — a reflection of the scale and complexity of the challenge.
His departure reportedly followed open criticism of a Trump-endorsed spending bill, which Musk argued undermined DOGE’s cost-cutting agenda.
“It increases the deficit, not just decreases it,” he said, in a rare rebuke of the president’s legislative flagship. The bill, dubbed “Big Beautiful” by Trump, marked a turning point in Musk’s government role.
The resignation triggered mixed reactions.
Tesla shares jumped over 5% after the announcement, even as the company reported an 80% decline in net income for the first quarter.
Meanwhile, 14 US states launched a legal challenge against DOGE, alleging unlawful interference in federal operations and administrative overreach.
Musk, who once criticised Trump’s policies, later became a vocal supporter, playing a significant role in his return to the White House.
Their alliance appeared intact despite the departure, with Musk’s platform X issuing a statement denying any fallout.
“Legacy media will try to convince you that President Trump and Elon Musk are no longer friends… What they won’t tell you is that Elon was a Special Government Employee, limited to 130 days of service and that term ends tomorrow,” the post read.
DOGE vowed to continue its operations without Musk.
However, independent data sources, including one from the University of Pennsylvania’s budget model, indicate government spending rose compared to the same period the previous year — calling into question the programme’s long-term efficacy.
However, Trump has yet to comment publicly. His silence has been said to add another layer to the evolving relationship between the former president and the billionaire entrepreneur, who once declared he loved Trump “as much as a straight man can love another man.”
