Elon Musk Ends DOGE Term, Faces Lawsuit Over Power

Elon Musk Ends DOGE Term, Faces Lawsuit Over Power

Musk had been a significant figure in the administration, serving as the largest donor to Trump’s 2024 election campaign and remaining close to the President after he assumed office.

RMN News World Desk
May 29, 2025

New Delhi – Space and technology billionaire Elon Musk announced the end of his term as the chief of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). He thanked the US President for the “opportunity to reduce wasteful spending”. Musk stated that the DOGE mission is expected to strengthen over time to become a “way of life” in the government.

Musk’s departure follows his first public criticism of President Trump the day prior, where he suggested the President’s “big, beautiful” spending bill could increase the budget deficit and undermine the work of the DOGE team. Musk commented on the bill, saying, “A bill can be big, or it can be beautiful. But I don’t know if it can be both. My personal opinion”.

Musk posted a tweet on May 29, stating, “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.”

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.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 29, 2025

Earlier, Musk had been a significant figure in the administration, serving as the largest donor to Trump’s 2024 election campaign and remaining close to the President after he assumed office. President Trump had praised Musk in his victory speech, calling him “a star is born”.

Upon taking the helm of DOGE, Musk reportedly sought “super high-IQ small-government revolutionaries” willing to work intense hours on cost-cutting tasks. During his tenure, tens of thousands of people were removed from government payrolls, and several departments were downsized or shut down. This period also saw Musk clash with other senior Trump officials.

However, by late April, Musk began to pull back. He mentioned in interviews that DOGE had become a “whipping boy” for dissatisfaction with the administration. He also admitted that he did not achieve all his goals with the department.

Adding to the challenges, a US District judge has ruled that Musk must face a lawsuit. The lawsuit alleges he wielded illegal power as the head of DOGE. This is one of several cases filed against Musk and DOGE, seeking to block their access to agency systems and records that contain extensive amounts of Americans’ financial and personal information.

Musk’s focus has also reportedly shifted back to his various businesses. Tesla dealerships have been targeted by arsonists, and its share prices have dropped. SpaceX has also faced setbacks, including a recent Starship test flight that exploded over the Indian Ocean. Separately, a two-hour outage on the social media platform X prompted Musk to post about the need for major operational improvements.