Elon Musk Resigns from Government Role — Trump Responds with Praise

Elon Musk’s surprise exit from the Trump administration has sparked headlines and speculation — and finally, a reaction from the former president.

A Shocking Exit

Earlier this week, Elon Musk announced his resignation from his role as co-lead of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Former President Donald Trump appointed Musk to the position in January, shortly after taking office. Musk had been a key donor to Trump’s election campaign and played a major role in government restructuring — including controversial mass layoffs of federal employees.

Cracks in the Alliance

Although Trump, 78, initially celebrated Musk’s “success” in reducing government waste, tension between the two reportedly grew in recent weeks. Musk criticized Trump’s support of a bill projected to increase the federal deficit by $3.8 trillion by 2034. He also hinted at pulling back from political spending, telling Bloomberg:

“I think, in terms of political spending, I’m going to do a lot less in the future. I think I’ve done enough.”

Just weeks earlier, Musk had dismissed rumors of a political retreat as “fake news.” But on Wednesday, May 28, he confirmed his departure from the administration.

Musk Shares a Statement

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Musk wrote:

“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.”

His comments sparked speculation of a falling-out between the two powerful figures.

Trump Breaks Silence

Uncharacteristically quiet at first, Trump finally addressed the resignation hours after it hit global headlines. Using his social media platform Truth Social, he posted a surprisingly warm statement:

“This will be his last day, but not really, because he will, always, be with us, helping all the way.”
He added, “Elon is terrific!” and announced an Oval Office press conference with the Tesla CEO scheduled for Friday, May 30.

Musk Denies Rift Rumors

In the wake of resignation chatter, Musk began resharing posts to dismiss rumors of a fallout. One reposted message from @cb_doge read:

“Legacy media will try to convince you that President Trump and Elon Musk are no longer friends… What they won’t tell you is that Elon was a Special Government Employee, limited to 130 days of service and that term ends tomorrow.”

Another retweet from @alx echoed the same timeline, emphasizing Musk’s role had a legal time limit of 130 days — ending exactly on May 30.

What’s Next?

While their official partnership may have ended, both Trump and Musk are signaling that the relationship isn’t over. Whether Musk will return in another government role or simply act as an outside ally remains to be seen. One thing is clear — both men are working hard to project unity amid swirling rumors of a split.