When it was announced that Elon Musk would oversee President Donald Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), Trump said he would like to keep Musk working with him for “as long as possible.” Trump acknowledged that Musk would eventually have to return to Tesla and SpaceX. It appears that Musk’s time to step down is quickly approaching. Pressure on Musk to step away from his responsibilities at DOGE came as Tesla sales dropped by 13 percent in the first quarter of 2025.
Why It Matters
Musk is also feeling pressure to put DOGE behind him after the defeat of a Trump-backed candidate on Tuesday in Wisconsin. Musk not only promoted the campaign but also heavily funded it. Several political analysts believe that Musk’s polarizing public image played a role in the major loss.
This Is What You Need To Know
On Thursday, Trump spoke to journalists aboard Air Force One, calling Musk “fantastic and a patriot. I like smart people, and he is a smart person. I also like him personally,” Trump said.
“I would say Elon will stay for a certain period of time, and then he’s going to want to get back to his businesses full-time,” Trump then added he would not hesitate to offer Musk another role in his administration if he was interested. “I want Elon to stay as long as possible,” Trump then shared that “DOGE will stay active” after Musk departs.
Trump Informs Advisors
On Wednesday, Politico reported that Trump had told his Cabinet and closest advisors that Musk would soon be stepping down from DOGE. “Trump remains pleased with Musk,” Politico reported. “But both men have decided in recent days that it will soon be time for Musk to return to his businesses and take on a supporting role.”
However, Karoline Leavitt, Trump’s White House press secretary, called Politico’s report “garbage,” and she added that both Trump and Musk had agreed that he would step down once he had completed his work with DOGE.
Unhappy Cabinet Members
Reportedly, several Cabinet secretaries were unhappy with Musk over his attempts to drastically reduce the size of the federal government. Back in March, tensions escalated during a meeting that involved several Cabinet members, Trump, and Musk. During the meeting, there was a heated exchange between Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Musk.
Also in March, Republican lawmakers urged Musk to send any cuts made by Doge through Congress because legal challenges were mounting, and several GOP representatives were being slammed by the public during town hall meetings.
The Harvard Center for American Political Studies recently conducted a poll of 2,746 registered voters at the end of March. The poll found 49% viewed Musk unfavorably and 39% viewed him favorably. Recent polls have also shown that Trump’s approval ratings are on the decline.
Proposed Stimulus Checks
Musk’s departure could affect stimulus checks. Trump and Musk had both pitched $5,000 stimulus checks for taxpayers who pay more in taxes than they receive. Most Americans who earn less than $40,000 would be excluded from the plan. Musk has said more than once that DOGE may not be able to save enough funds from the government to make the stimulus checks happen. There is also a good chance that Congress would block the motion.
