Elon Musk Resigns Early from Government Role After Slamming Trump’s Spending Bill
Elon Musk has officially stepped down from his political post, just days before his scheduled departure—leaving with a pointed critique of the Trump administration’s latest spending plan.
The billionaire entrepreneur had been serving as a Special Government Employee, a unique federal role that allows private citizens to contribute up to 130 days a year in an advisory capacity. Although his term was set to end on May 28, Musk resigned three days early, following public criticism of President Donald Trump’s newly unveiled federal spending proposal—dubbed the “big, beautiful bill.”
In a CBS interview aired May 27, Musk voiced sharp concerns about the bill:
“I was disappointed to see the massive spending bill, frankly, which increases the budget deficit instead of decreasing it, and undermines the work that the Doge team is doing. I think a bill can be big or it can be beautiful… but I don’t know if it can be both.”
Shortly after Musk’s comments aired, the White House began the formal offboarding process, according to the BBC. Musk then took to his social media platform, X, to issue a final message:
“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 @DOGE mission will only strengthen over time as it becomes a way of life throughout the government.”
President Trump has yet to make a direct statement, though he posted a cryptic meme on Truth Social depicting himself walking alone under a dim streetlight with the caption:
“He’s on a mission from God & nothing can stop what is coming.”
A Radical Vision for Government Efficiency
Though Musk held no elected office, he had been co-leading a controversial government task force alongside entrepreneur and former GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy. Their goal: to slash bureaucracy, eliminate thousands of federal jobs, and drastically cut government payrolls.
Set to disband by July 4, 2026—Independence Day next year—the initiative had already:
- Orchestrated mass layoffs across federal departments
- Eliminated multiple DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) programs
- Implemented deep budget cuts to the Department of Education
Trump described the effort as a mission to “dismantle government bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure federal agencies.”
The ‘Big, Beautiful Bill’ That Sparked the Exit
The newly proposed spending bill, narrowly passed by the House and heading to the Senate, includes:
- Major increases in defense spending
- The foundation for Trump’s ambitious “Golden Dome” missile defense system
- Multi-trillion-dollar tax breaks
Early estimates suggest the bill could swell government spending by $600 billion in the next fiscal year—a move Musk argues completely undercuts his mandate as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
As the nation waits to see how the Senate reacts to the bill, one thing is clear: Elon Musk is no longer in Washington—but his departure may leave behind waves still rippling through the Capitol.