Is it the end of the road for Trump and Musk?
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Elon Musk is expected to step back from his controversial position as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), though insiders say he will maintain influence on President Trump.
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In brief:
- Elon Musk is expected to step back from his role as head of DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency) in Trump's administration in the coming weeks, with his special government employee status set to expire in late May or early June.
- Despite likely to reduce his official role, insiders believe Musk will maintain influence as an advisor to Trump, though their relationship may have been strained by recent events including Musk's failed $20 million campaign for a Republican Supreme Court nominee in Wisconsin.
- Musk's likely departure comes at a significant moment when his political influence appears to be waning, The News Agents say, suggesting Trump has become aware of the "turbulence" and "resentment" Musk has created in the administration.
What’s the story?
It could be the end of the road for Elon Musk’s time in Donald Trump’s administration, after taking on the role of head of DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency) when the President took office in January.
Three government insiders, including members of his cabinet, have told Politico that Elon Musk will be stepping back from his role in the coming weeks.
There is a 130-day limit for ‘special government employees’, a special status that was given to Musk, which allows the government to employ people with exemptions from some ethics and conflicts of interest rules. That 130 day period is expected to expire for Musk in late May or early June.
Insiders have also told the publication that anyone who thinks Musk will completely disappear from the administration is “fooling themselves”. It’s thought that the Tesla and X owner could stay on in an advisory role, and will still have influence on the President.
Musk began campaigning for Donald Trump’s presidential campaign in late 2024, joining him on stage at several campaign rallies and using his social platform to advocate for a Trump return.
Although not an elected official himself, since Trump won the presidency Musk has been at his side in cabinet meetings and in the Oval Office.
His role as head of DOGE saw the billionaire take over the headquarters of the independent foreign aid agency USAID, as funds were frozen and employees locked out of the building.
White House Press secretary Karoline Leavitt has dismissed the story as “garbage”.
“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,” she said on 2 April.
The rumours of Musk’s departure coincide with recent calls for Elon Musk to step down from his role as CEO of Tesla, as shares in the company have plummeted - put down partly to traditional Tesla-buyers not wanting to be associated with Musk’s politics, and partly to increasing competition from Chinese firms.
Musk and Trump: Is it game over for Elon and The White House?
What’s The News Agents’ take?
“I think it's not insignificant that we are hearing about this on the same day that Musk came out a loser,” Emily Matlis says.
“Trump doesn't really like losers.”
She’s referring to a key vote the Republican Party lost for a seat on the supreme court in the swing-state of Wisconsin earlier this week. Musk threw $20 million of his own money at the campaign for the Republican nominee, slapped his own name and face all over the campaign – only for the candidate to lose.
“I think that was a little warning sign that Musk may not be this magic potion that just attracts Americans,” Jon Sopel says, adding; “He's a weirdo”.
Not only did Musk, in spite of spending an “obscene” amount of money, not manage a win for the GOP, but Jon believes Trump is all too aware of the “turbulence” and “resentment” Musk has created because of the way he’s gone about things.
“He wants as many headlines as Donald Trump. They're both narcissists fighting for a TV camera, and it feels that the kind of breach of the relationship has finally happened,” he adds.
Nevertheless, “Musk is not leaving the White House with a knife in his back,” Jon says - which is an achievement, compared to the many allies that soon became enemies when things came crashing down in Trump’s first term.
“Musk is still clearly going to be a player in MAGA-land,” Lewis says.
“He’s still a player in the Trump court, to a lesser extent than he's been now, but Trump clearly still recognises massively the extent to which Musk's ownership of X has been hugely beneficial to him, and is a very important part of the MAGA ecosystem.”
Some distance in the relationship could also be down to Trump’s own approval ratings taking a dip - at 43%, they are now the lowest they’ve been since Inauguration day, although Emily points out; “It's not a massive falling off, given everything we've seen, given like the start of a global trade war.”
Ultimately though, Emily says, the news will leave Trump behaving like a “drowning swimmer”.
“I think as soon as Trump thinks his own popularity is getting hit, he starts flailing around and smacking the water at anyone near him.”
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