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An Exit Before the Deadline Amidst a Crisis
Elon Musk has officially stepped down from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), an initiative started by Donald Trump, just before the May 28 deadline that would have enforced financial transparency and congressional oversight. His departure was strategically timed, announced right after a major outage at the social network X. Officially, he’s returning to his industrial priorities: Tesla, SpaceX, and xAI. Unofficially, he’s leaving a failing project that failed to deliver significant results. This withdrawal comes at a tense time, as Tesla sales plummet, X experiences numerous malfunctions, and the promises of the DOGE go unmet.
Unfulfilled Promises and Internal Strife
Musk had promised $1 trillion in savings during Trump’s term. The reality is starkly different: only between $150 and $170 billion were identified, often through severe cuts in international aid and massive layoffs in the administration. These actions have had virtually no macroeconomic impact, according to several economists. In Washington, Musk also alienated parts of Trump’s cabinet, leading to constant tension. Donald Trump ultimately disavowed him in mid-April by firing a tax official appointed by Musk.
Musk to Revitalize Tesla, xAI, and SpaceX
In his statement, Musk talks about returning to basics: sleeping on office couches, boosting Tesla production, launching the Starship rocket, and developing AI through the merger of X/xAI. He intends to lessen his political role after having invested over $250 million in the Republican campaign. His stated goal is clear: to restore the health of his companies, starting with Tesla, whose board of directors is quietly exploring alternatives to his leadership.
Let’s be clear, even though he’s stepping back, Musk remains close to power. He retains influence over Republican lawmakers and continues to be consulted on issues of artificial intelligence and technological innovation. The mission of the DOGE is supposed to continue, at least officially, without him. However, the momentum is broken, and the organization loses its most iconic figure. Musk thus joins the long list of entrepreneurs who believed they could reform the state like a startup. He leaves the political stage quietly, and somewhat diminished.