Musk's Exit From DOGE Raises More Questions Than Answers

Elon Musk and President Donald J. Trump on the South Lawn of the White House, March, 2025. Official White House Photo by Molly Riley. Public domain.

He said he's done. Trump said he's done. But is Elon Musk really done?

The billionaire tech mogul and headline magnet is making waves — again — as reports swirl about his exit from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Depending on who you ask, he's either gracefully finishing a temporary gig or quietly being nudged out as a political liability. The messages coming from Washington, from officials and anonymous insiders, don't exactly match up. And some are asking the question: is something else going on?

What We Know: The "Exit" Announcement

According to multiple reports, including one from POLITICO, President Donald Trump has informed his inner circle that Musk will step back in the coming weeks from his role as DOGE's leader.

White House officials acknowledged that Musk's tenure was always meant to be temporary — limited to 130 days under his "special government employee" status — and that timeline expires by the end of May. According to Fox News, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed as much when she posted on X, "Elon Musk and President Trump have both publicly stated that Elon will depart from public service as a special government employee when his incredible work at DOGE is complete."

Musk appears to be on the same page. During a recent Fox News interview, he framed his DOGE mission as virtually complete when asked if he would continue past the 130-day limit, saying "I think we will have accomplished most of the work required to reduce the deficit by a trillion dollars within that time frame."

On the surface, Musk and Trump appear to be satisfied with the work Musk accomplished during his tenure. As reported by POLITICO, Trump told reporters that "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."

But some are questioning the official statements.

Conflicting Signals: Stepping Down or Stepping Aside?

While the White House insists this was always the plan, there are rumblings that the "official" version doesn't tell the whole story.

First, reports surfaced that Trump and Musk's relationship has shifted from "ride-or-die" to "proceed with caution." Trump allies reportedly pushed for Musk's exit after the Republican candidate Musk backed in Wisconsin's Supreme Court race lost by 10 points, despite a $20 million boost from Musk's wallet. Insiders viewed the loss as a "referendum" on Musk himself, POLITICO reports.

Then there are rumors of private disapproval. While Trump publicly praised Musk, behind closed doors, he's reportedly made it clear that Cabinet secretaries, not Musk, are in charge of their departments, according to the Daily Mail.

Add to that Musk's unpredictable style, including off-script plans to dismantle federal agencies shared on X (formerly Twitter) that reportedly sent Washington into crisis mode, and a picture forms that looks less like a planned handoff and more like a subtle shove.

Graceful Exit, Strategic Retreat, or Total Fake-Out?

Notably, Tesla^® stock jumped 5% on the exit rumors, as reported by The Economic Times, a sign that investors were more than happy to hear Musk might finally be returning to his companies full-time.

That bump came after Tesla's brutal first quarter — down 40% according to CNN — with many observers blaming Musk's governmental involvement and negative public perception. Some insiders believe Musk's exit is not just about politics but also about stopping the bleeding.

And then there's the possibility that Musk isn't actually leaving at all. Other Trump officials have reportedly floated the idea that Musk could stick around in an informal role — even after his official status ends. One administration aide, speaking anonymously to POLITICO, warned anyone who thinks Musk is going to disappear from Trump's orbit is "fooling themselves."

Meanwhile, online skepticism is running wild with speculation, ranging from Musk lying about stepping down, stepping down because of conflicts of interest, or only stepping down because he has gotten what he wanted from his position.

Musk is still head of DOGE and will officially remain so until late May. What happens after that — and whether people believe it — remains up in the air.

References: Trump Tells Inner Circle That Musk Will Leave Soon | Elon Musk dramatically steps down from DOGE in shock move after Trump expressed private doubts | Elon Musk may abruptly quit DOGE after Donald Trump's private doubts, claim reports; Tesla stock soars as investors cheer shock exit | Musk not leaving yet, wrapping up work on schedule once 'incredible work at DOGE is complete': White House | Gravity may be finally catching up to Elon Musk as Tesla stock tumbles