U.S. President Donald Trump reportedly told close aides that Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), will step down within weeks, according to political news outlet Politico on the 2nd (local time).
Three anonymous sources said President Trump conveyed this to his close aides and that Musk has also decided to soon return to his business.
Musk serves as the head of DOGE, leading federal government reform in Trump's second administration. However, as a "special government official" exempt from ethics and conflict of interest regulations rather than a formal civil servant, he is legally limited to working no more than 130 days per year in government. This period expires between late May and early June.
Officials in the Trump administration expect Musk to step down when his special government official status expires.
On the 31st of last month, President Trump said regarding the possibility of Musk working more than 130 days in government, "At some point, he will return," adding, "I will keep him (in government) as long as I can."
In an interview with Fox News on the 27th of last month, Musk was asked if he was ready to leave after his special government official status expires. He responded, "I plan to complete $1 trillion in federal government cost savings by the end of May."
Politico cited sources saying that President Trump also stated at a cabinet meeting on the 24th of last month that Musk would soon step down.
So far, President Trump has supported Musk's activities at DOGE. However, unilateral government reform efforts by Musk have caused dissatisfaction within the Republican Party and the administration. At the same time, it is analyzed that this has become a political burden for Trump as it serves as a rallying point for the divided Democratic Party following last year's presidential election defeat.
Politico noted that many within the Trump administration describe Musk as unpredictable and difficult to control, with communication issues with cabinet members. Musk has reportedly embarrassed the White House by posting unvetted or unofficial plans to reorganize federal agencies on his social media platform X (formerly Twitter).
The recent Wisconsin Supreme Court election result, where a conservative candidate publicly supported by Musk lost by a 10-point margin, also adds pressure on Musk.
However, a senior official in the Trump administration said Musk is likely to maintain an unofficial advisory role and occasionally appear around the White House. Another official told Politico that anyone who thinks Musk will completely disappear from President Trump's circle is "deceiving themselves."
Meanwhile, White House spokesperson Caroline Levitt called the Politico report "garbage" on her X account. She stated, "Both Musk and President Trump have 'publicly' mentioned that Musk will step down from public office as a special government official once he completes his remarkable work at DOGE."
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