Elon Musk announced his resignation from the role as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a position he held for the maximum permitted 130 days. He cited the task as an "uphill battle" due to the entrenched federal bureaucracy and expressed disagreement with President Trump's recent multi-trillion-dollar tax break bill, which he believes undermines cost-cutting efforts.
The DOGE department, humorously named after the cryptocurrency Dogecoin but a government efficiency office, claimed to have saved taxpayers $175 billion since Trump's return to the White House. However, several news outlets dispute this figure, highlighting inaccuracies and overstated claims. The actual cuts reportedly amount to around 12% of the federal workforce through layoffs, buyouts, and early retirements.
Musk's resignation raises concerns over the future effectiveness of DOGE initiatives amid political and fiscal policy disagreements. A federal lawsuit filed by 14 states is proceeding, accusing Musk and DOGE of unconstitutional actions, including improper access to government data and unauthorized termination of federal employees.
Despite stepping down, Musk remains optimistic about DOGE, stating its mission will strengthen and become ingrained in government operations over time. Additionally, Musk admitted he spent "a bit too much time" on politics, which some critics argue has impacted Tesla's performance.