WASHINGTON (Diya TV) — Elon Musk, the tech billionaire who served as the head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) under special government employee status, announced Wednesday that his time in the Trump administration “has come to an end.”

In a post on X, the social media platform he owns, Musk said, “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.”

The White House confirmed Musk’s exit Wednesday evening, telling Reuters that the offboarding process, including required paperwork, would begin immediately. Musk’s 130-day mandate as a special government employee was set to expire on or around May 30, according to The Washington Post.

During his tenure, Musk played a pivotal role in executing the Trump administration’s plan to shrink the federal bureaucracy. Under DOGE, the administration slashed nearly 12%—or about 260,000—of the 2.3 million-strong federal civilian workforce, primarily through buyouts, early retirement incentives, and firings.

Despite that success, Musk’s departure comes amid growing tensions between him and key administration figures, as well as his disillusionment with Washington politics. In an interview with The Washington Post, Musk lamented the entrenched dysfunction in D.C., saying, “The federal bureaucracy situation is much worse than I realized. I thought there were problems, but it’s an uphill battle trying to improve things in DC, to say the least.”

He also told the outlet that DOGE had become a “whipping boy,” frequently blamed for broader failures within the Trump administration. Behind the scenes, Musk reportedly clashed with several cabinet-level officials and publicly called White House trade adviser Peter Navarro a “moron” over trade policy disagreements, particularly regarding Musk’s push for zero tariffs between the U.S. and Europe.

Musk’s frustrations grew more vocal in recent weeks, especially after he criticized Trump’s sweeping tax and spending plan. In an interview with CBS Sunday Morning, Musk warned the plan would undercut DOGE’s mission and balloon the national deficit.

Sources told The New York Times that Musk did not have a formal conversation with Trump before announcing his exit. The decision to step down was finalized at the “senior staff level,” according to a source familiar with the matter. Musk had previously referred to himself as Trump’s “first buddy” in the administration.

Adding to the friction, Musk recently objected to a deal between OpenAI, run by his longtime rival Sam Altman, and Abu Dhabi, reportedly pressuring White House officials to intervene unless his own AI company was involved.

Musk’s political activities have also drawn scrutiny from investors and critics. Despite spending nearly $300 million supporting Trump’s 2024 campaign and other Republican causes, he recently told an economic forum in Qatar that he plans to dial back his political contributions. “I think I’ve done enough,” he said.

His political influence took a hit earlier this month after his heavily funded judicial candidate in Wisconsin failed to win, according to The New York Times. Musk had poured $25 million into that race.

Though Musk is stepping back from his government role, both he and the White House have stated that DOGE’s mission to restructure and streamline the federal government will continue.

For now, Musk says he’s ready to return full-time to his business ventures. “DOGE was an experiment,” he told the Post. “Some progress was made, but the swamp is deeper than I expected.”