Elon Musk, the head of Tesla, has said he will soon step away from his work with the Trump administration’s cost-cutting team called Doge, short for Department of Government Efficiency.
This news comes as Tesla faces sharp financial troubles, including a reported 71% drop in profits, leading many to wonder when Musk will actually leave and what will happen to Doge after his exit.
The White House has stated that it was always part of the plan for Musk to leave around this time.
President Donald Trump confirmed that they are preparing for Musk’s departure and said Tesla would be fine once Musk returns to focus on the company.
Musk made the announcement after Tesla reported continued protests and calls for boycotts, which have affected sales and led to destructive acts at some Tesla locations.
Musk has been working in government under the title of “special government employee” (SGE), a role that allows him to serve for up to 130 days per year, paid or unpaid.
If Musk works fewer days, that time limit stretches further, and the count resets in January 2026.
It is unclear how many days Musk has already worked or if anyone is keeping track of his schedule.
The billionaire’s involvement in the Trump administration has raised concerns.
Critics have pointed out that his companies, including SpaceX with $22 billion in U.S. government contracts, could create conflicts of interest.
Musk is required to follow government ethics rules, file a confidential financial disclosure, and avoid political actions while performing official duties.
However, there have been moments where Musk was seen wearing political items, such as a “Make America Great Again” hat, inside the White House.
A recent report by the think tank Public Citizen accused the administration of abusing SGE rules and warned that the public has no clear way of knowing whether people like Musk are serving public interests or personal ones.
Despite this, the White House has insisted that Musk has followed the law and undergone ethics training.
Looking ahead, about 100 Doge staff members are expected to continue working across government departments after Musk steps down later this year.
Musk and Trump have set the target for Doge to finish its work by July 4, 2026, marking the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Declaration of Independence.
Musk previously remarked that the final act of Doge would be to shut itself down completely.
