Elon Musk Done With DOGE? Donald Trump Tells Inner Circle He's Out as He's a 'Political Liability'

President Donald Trump has confirmed that Elon Musk will be stepping back from his role at the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) sooner than expected, causing a stir in both the business world and Washington, D.C.

The decision to have Musk leave his special government employee position early was reportedly mutually agreed upon by both parties, with President Trump telling his inner circle he is a "political liability."

Musk sparked controversy during his tenure at the White House due to his controversial approach of downsizing the federal government.

Questions have arisen about the potential conflict of interest in Musk's government role, particularly as his company, SpaceX, holds substantial government contracts.

Musk's involvement in downsizing federal agencies has led to widespread layoffs and legal actions against the Trump administration.

Moreover, reports of tension with Chief of Staff Susie Wiles have surfaced, suggesting a lack of adherence to established White House protocols.

One senior official described Musk's leadership style as "erratic and disruptive," adding that his tendency to bypass government channels frequently left Wiles and other key figures furious.

The recent $20 million investment in a failed Wisconsin Supreme Court campaign and a significant drop in Tesla's stock value, with declining sales, have added to the scrutiny surrounding Musk's actions.

According to insiders, the billionaire began to be seen as a "political liability."

Privately, Trump has told his Cabinet that they are in charge of each of their departments, not Musk. Musk was in that Cabinet meeting when Trump made the announcement.

Sources told Politico that Trump's Cabinet had grown very tired of Musk in recent weeks.

"Many others say he's an unpredictable, unmanageable force who has had issues communicating his plans with Cabinet secretaries and through the White House chain of command led by chief of staff Susie Wiles, frequently sending them into a frenzy with unexpected and off-message comments on X, his social-media platform — including sharing unvetted and uncoordinated plans to gut federal agencies," the publication reported.

The Apprentice star proposed the creation of DOGE in early September 2024 as part of his new economic plans, with the tech mogul agreeing to lead the board if he were to win the presidential election and return to the White House.

By December, DOGE released a new call for applicants from those with finance, information technology and human resource backgrounds. It then opened additional positions but did not provide further details about the roles, including the required work experience.