Elon Musk Steps Down as DOGE Chief, Trump Vows to Continue Anti-Waste Mission
Washington – Tech billionaire Elon Musk has stepped away from his role at the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), with the White House confirming that President Donald Trump and his Cabinet will take over the initiative.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Thursday that Musk’s cost-cutting campaign would now be led by President Trump, his top officials, and appointees at DOGE. “Every Cabinet member, along with the President, is fully devoted to eliminating government waste, fraud, and misuse,” she said.
On Wednesday, Musk, 53, announced the end of his tenure as a Special Government Employee and DOGE chief. Expressing gratitude to Trump for the opportunity, he said the mission to slash inefficiencies would “only grow stronger and eventually become a core principle within federal operations.”
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Musk shared,
“As my scheduled term concludes, I thank President @realDonaldTrump for the chance to curb unnecessary spending. The @DOGE vision will evolve into a lasting mindset across government.”
President Trump responded on Truth Social, praising Musk as “amazing” and confirming a joint press briefing on Friday. “Though this is his last official day, Elon will always be a guiding force. He’s fantastic!” Trump wrote.
During his 2024 campaign, Musk pledged to slash $2 trillion in federal waste. Once DOGE was officially launched under Trump’s new term, Musk reset the goal to $1 trillion. Reports suggest Musk contributed over $250 million toward Trump’s campaign.
DOGE claims to have saved $160 billion so far by canceling contracts, offloading government assets, and implementing broad reforms.
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