Elon Musk Resigns as Trump Advisor Amid Policy Disagreement

Elon Musk announced his resignation from his role as Special Government Employee and senior advisor to US President Donald Trump, officially ending his advisory stint with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Musk thanked Trump for the opportunity to work on reducing government waste, noting that his term had reached its scheduled end. “The @DOGE mission will only strengthen over time,” he wrote, expressing hope the efficiency agenda would endure.

The timing of his resignation is notable, coming a day after Musk criticized Trump’s latest legislative push — a bill combining tax cuts and strict immigration enforcement. In a CBS interview, Musk called the bill a “massive spending bill” that contradicted DOGE’s objectives, stating it would “increase the federal deficit.”

Taking a jab at Trump’s branding of the bill as a “big beautiful bill,” Musk quipped, “I think a bill can be big or it could be beautiful. But I don’t know if it could be both.”

President Trump responded briefly, acknowledging the bill’s complexity while maintaining optimism. “I’m not happy about certain aspects, but thrilled by others,” he said, suggesting further revisions may come.

Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, was brought into Trump’s advisory orbit to help modernize federal operations. His departure underscores the friction between business-minded advisors and political priorities. Whether DOGE continues to influence policy remains to be seen, but Musk’s exit sends a clear message about the balance between idealism and practical governance.