Elon Musk has officially announced his departure from his role as a Special Government Employee in the Trump administration, a transition the White House confirmed on Wednesday evening. In a post on X, Musk expressed gratitude to President Trump for the opportunity to work on reducing wasteful spending within the federal government.

“As my scheduled time as a Special Government Employee comes to an end, I would like to thank President @realDonaldTrump for the opportunity to reduce wasteful spending,” the billionaire wrote. He emphasized the significance of his “department of government efficiency” (DOGE), stating, “The DOGE mission will only strengthen over time as it becomes a way of life throughout the government.”

Musk conveyed his frustration with the federal bureaucracy, revealing to the Washington Post, “The situation is much worse than I realized. I thought there were problems, but it sure is an uphill battle trying to improve things in DC, to say the least.” He also criticized how DOGE had been treated as a “whipping boy” for various issues in the Trump White House.

Behind the scenes, Musk had clashes with several cabinet officials and openly criticized White House trade adviser Peter Navarro, calling him a “moron” for opposing his proposal for “zero tariffs” between the US and Europe. Additionally, Musk expressed concerns over a deal between Abu Dhabi and OpenAI, which he felt sidelined his own AI company.

Musk’s disillusionment with politics deepened following the unsuccessful campaign of his judicial candidate in Wisconsin, where he spent a staggering $25 million, as reported by the New York Times.

Under Trump and the DOGE initiative, there have been significant cuts to the federal workforce, with nearly 12% or 260,000 jobs eliminated through a combination of firings, buyouts, and early retirement offers. Despite his substantial financial backing of Trump’s presidential campaign—approximately $300 million—Musk indicated earlier this month he plans to substantially reduce his political contributions, stating, “I think I’ve done enough.”

Although Musk had pledged $100 million to support groups aligned with Trump’s team ahead of the 2026 midterms, reports indicate that this funding had not yet materialized as of this week. As Musk steps back from his advisory role, calls from investors for him to refocus on his responsibilities at Tesla are growing louder.