The White House has dismissed reports suggesting that tech billionaire Elon Musk is set to leave his government role soon, stating that he will stay on to complete his mission of reducing US government spending and downsizing the federal workforce.
Reports had indicated that US President Donald Trump had informed members of his Cabinet that Musk would soon step down and return to the private sector. However, the reports did not clarify whether Musk would leave before his 130-day mandate as a special government employee expires in late May.
Trump appointed the Tesla and SpaceX CEO to lead cost-cutting initiatives through the Department of Government Efficiency (Doge), tasked with reshaping the federal bureaucracy and cutting government expenditure.
“Elon Musk and President Trump have both publicly stated that Elon will depart from public service as a special government employee when his incredible work at Doge is complete,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said.
Musk told reporters that he was confident he would achieve most of his goal of cutting $1 trillion in federal spending by the end of his 130-day term.
Speculation has surrounded Musk’s role from the outset, particularly given his close working relationship with Trump, with critics dubbing him the “co-president.”
His aggressive approach to mass layoffs has sparked controversy, with nearly 200,000 federal employees either dismissed, earmarked for termination, or having accepted buyouts.
Republican lawmakers have faced backlash at town hall meetings, while several of Doge’s initiatives have been challenged in court.
In addition, Tesla dealerships have been vandalised across the US and abroad, and a nationwide protest against Doge and Trump’s agenda is scheduled for Saturday.
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