Tech magnate and space entrepreneur Elon Musk has officially stepped down as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), expressing gratitude to the U.S. President for entrusting him with the task of streamlining public spending.

Musk stated that the goals of DOGE would continue to evolve and eventually become embedded in the culture of governance, promoting long-term efficiency.

His resignation follows his first public disagreement with former ally Donald Trump. Musk had criticized the President’s signature spending package, suggesting it undermined DOGE’s cost-cutting efforts. "A bill might be large, or it might be admirable—but I'm not convinced it can be both," Musk remarked.

Musk was previously one of Trump’s most prominent supporters, contributing significantly to the 2024 campaign and regularly appearing alongside him during rallies. Trump had lauded Musk during his election night address, famously declaring, “a star is born.”

Once DOGE was operational, Musk launched an aggressive hiring drive for what he described as "ultra-intelligent, small-government radicals" ready to work long hours on challenging fiscal reforms. Massive layoffs followed, with tens of thousands losing their government jobs and several departments being scaled back or dissolved. This aggressive restructuring often put Musk at odds with other top officials in the Trump administration.

By April, Musk began distancing himself from DOGE, telling interviewers that the department had become a scapegoat for broader dissatisfaction with the administration. He also acknowledged that many of his ambitions for the agency remained unfulfilled.

Complicating matters, a federal judge has ruled that Musk must face legal proceedings over allegations of abusing his authority while leading DOGE. The department and Musk have also been targeted by lawsuits aiming to restrict their access to sensitive government databases containing citizens’ personal and financial data.

At the same time, Musk's attention appeared to return to his private ventures. Tesla has faced a series of challenges including arson attacks on dealerships and declining stock value. Meanwhile, SpaceX endured a major blow when its Starship vehicle exploded over the Indian Ocean during its ninth test flight. Adding to his troubles, a two-hour outage on X—formerly Twitter—prompted Musk to acknowledge the need for significant improvements, posting: "This week's X downtime highlights urgent operational fixes."