Tesla and SpaceX boss Elon Musk is returning to the private sector after his stint in the Trump administration, but many are missing a key reason he is making this move.
Musk posted a message to his X social media platform thanking President Donald Trump and noting that DOGE will go on without him.
“As my scheduled time as a Special Government Employee comes to an end, I would like to thank President Donald Trump for the opportunity to reduce wasteful spending,” he wrote, adding, “The @DOGE mission will only strengthen over time as it becomes a way of life throughout the government.”
As my scheduled time as a Special Government Employee comes to an end, I would like to thank President @realDonaldTrump for the opportunity to reduce wasteful spending.
The @DOGE mission will only strengthen over time as it becomes a way of life throughout the government.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 29, 2025
Musk, of course, was the inspiration for the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), an idea that President Trump excitedly endorsed during his late 2024 campaign for president.
Now that Musk is returning to the private sector, many media outlets are trying to make it seem as of Musk is leaving because he is having a falling out with Trump.
But there is a key reason why Musk is leaving DOGE. His time really IS up!
Musk joined Trump’s administration under the category of a “Special Government Employee” (as he noted in his X post). And Special Government Employees are only sanctioned for 130 days. And his allotment is not passed.
Somehow the AP forgot to mention that it has now been 130 days, the maximum number of days permitted for a "Special Government Employee" under law. https://t.co/lfELQJnnmX pic.twitter.com/M5tgDae4sh
— ~~datahazard~~ (@fentasyl) May 29, 2025
So, the upshot is that Musk is not leaving because there is a falling out. He’s leaving because his special status has expired.
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