Elon Musk has confirmed he’s stepping away from his role in the Trump administration to fully refocus on his companies. While he was once tapped to lead the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), recent comments suggest his presence in Washington has diminished.
Chief of Staff Susie Wiles said Musk “hasn’t been here physically, but it really doesn’t matter much,” adding that he’s still involved remotely. However, Musk’s latest post on X suggests a deeper retreat. “Back to spending 24/7 at work… I must be super focused on X/AI and Tesla,” he wrote.
Though Musk hasn’t officially exited, insiders say he’s no longer central to Trump’s team. A report by The Atlantic claims Musk ruffled feathers by pushing a hard-driving work culture, including demanding weekly productivity reports from federal employees.
Critics argue his Silicon Valley style clashed with Washington norms. As Appian CEO Matt Calkins noted, “Does the ‘move fast and break things’ model work in Washington? Not really.”
Now, Musk seems intent on turning his full attention to Tesla, X, and the upcoming Starship launch.