- President Donald Trump told the Cabinet that world’s richest man Elon Musk will leave his administration post “soon,” specifically within the coming weeks, according to a Politico report. Musk’s involvement in the government has caused public sentiment around his company’s to deteriorate; a departure from the executive branch would allow him to return to his businesses. The White House publicly rejected the reports, calling the news “fake.”
President Donald Trump has alerted those in his inner circle, including some members of the Cabinet, that Elon Musk will be stepping away from his role as the figure-head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) within weeks, according to a report by Politico.
While Trump emphasized that he was pleased with Musk and the efforts of DOGE, both have reportedly mutually decided that it was time for Musk to transition into a supporting role in Washington so he can return to his businesses, according to three anonymous Trump insiders.
“I think he’s been amazing, but I also think he’s got a big company to run…And at some point he’s going to be going back. He wants to,” Trump told reporters Monday.
Musk, categorized as a special government employee (SGE), has been busy slashing federal spending and is slated to end his stint in the White House in late May, when he reaches the 130-day SGE working caps. The report comes more than a month after a senior political advisor close to Trump told Politico that Musk was “here to stay,” and would exceed his 130-day timeline.
One senior administration official told Politico it’s likely that Musk will hold an informal advisory position and continue to make occasional appearances at the White House. Another said in the same report anyone who believes Musk will leave Trump’s eye is “fooling themselves.”
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in an X post Wednesday the Politico report was “garbage,” and the two have agreed that Musk will leave the White House as a special government employee when he completes his work with DOGE.
Additionally, White House spokesman Harrison Fields told Fortune the report is “fake news.”
“This is exactly why President Trump and DOGE have terminated millions of dollars in wasteful, government contracts to so-called news organizations that have diminished their credibility with the American people,” Field said, referencing Politico’s ties to USAID budget cuts.
Musk has sparked frustration among those close to and within the Trump administration who view the world’s richest man as a political liability. Most notably, Musk publicly backed and bankrolled a conservative judge who lost a bid for a Wisconsin Supreme Court seat by a wide margin Tuesday, indicating public sentiment around the billionaire.
Last week, Trump began paving the way for Musk’s exit from Washington, telling Cabinet members Musk would be beginning his transition out of the executive branch, according to an insider who was not in the meeting, but briefed on what was said.
Throughout Musk’s political endeavors, his businesses have taken a toll, specifically Tesla. Last month, Musk publicly admitted that he was running his businesses with “great difficulty,” while juggling his federal duties.
After the Politico report came out, however, the EV maker’s stock jumped, signaling that Musk could turn his focus back to Tesla after the company endured a tough stretch.
Tesla has been the chief victim of Musk’s political activism, and while his departure from DOGE likely won’t do much to boost demand in Europe, it should help put a floor under demand in the U.S.
Tesla stock has dropped more than 5% over the past month, and plunged more than 31% year-over-year. Additionally, shares fell 36% in the first quarter, its largest quarterly slip since 2022.
