Elon Musk Parts Ways with Trump Administration Over Spending Bill Dispute

The separation is final. Billionaire Tesla CEO Elon Musk, once a favored collaborator of former U.S. President Donald Trump, has stepped down from his advisory role in the Trump administration after leading a tumultuous effort to improve government efficiency. During this period, several federal services were disrupted, but Musk ultimately failed to achieve the cost savings he aimed for. Musk’s term as a special government employee in the Trump administration was set to conclude around May 30th. Although planned, the announcement of his departure came shortly after Musk criticized Trump’s ‘big and beautiful bill,’ arguing it undermines the work of the White House’s DOGE team by increasing the budget deficit. His resignation happened quickly without an official meeting with Trump beforehand, according to sources familiar with the matter. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Musk left sharp remarks about the handling of American fiscal policies, indicating that relations between the two are not at their best. Musk confirmed on Wednesday (May 28, 2025) that he had completed his mission to reduce federal spending after four months of experimentation and thanked President Trump for the opportunity. “As my scheduled time as a Special Government Employee comes to an end, I would like to thank President Trump for the opportunity to reduce wasteful spending,” Musk wrote on X. However, in an interview with CBS aired Tuesday night, Musk adopted a more critical tone. “I was disappointed to see this massive spending bill, which frankly increases the budget deficit and undermines the work of the DOGE team,” he commented. Additionally, Musk told the Washington Post that DOGE had become the scapegoat for everything. The ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ proposed by Trump aims to implement some of his campaign promises, including colossal tax cuts, which he approved during his first term but will expire by year-end. According to analysis from the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office, this bill could increase the federal deficit, already at $36.2 trillion, by another $3.8 trillion over the next decade. “I think a law can be big or it can be beautiful, but I don’t know if it can be both,” Musk said in his CBS News interview, marking the first public rift with Trump, whose alliance emerged during the presidential election campaign. Musk contributed significantly to support Trump’s re-election efforts, and their relationship grew closer during Trump’s second term. Despite initial harmony, articles began surfacing about disagreements among Trump’s cabinet members regarding Musk’s methods and decisions. Musk eventually announced his withdrawal to focus more on his businesses, especially Tesla, whose sales were declining while its owner became one of the world’s most polarizing figures. Returning to a grueling work schedule, Musk tweeted: “I’ve gone back to working 24/7 and sleeping in conference/server/workshop rooms.” Questions remain about potential conflicts of interest due to numerous contracts signed between Musk’s companies and the federal government.