Billionaire Elon Musk has announced his departure from President Donald Trump's administration, citing the end of his scheduled time as a Special Government Employee.

Musk, who was appointed in November 2024 as a senior advisor to President Trump and the de facto head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), made the announcement via his X platform on Wednesday night.

"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," Musk wrote. "@DOGE mission will only strengthen over time as it becomes a way of life throughout the government."

Timing Raises Questions

The timing of Musk's exit has drawn attention as it comes shortly after he publicly criticized Trump's new tax bill on Tuesday. According to Reuters, Musk departed from the US government without having a formal conversation with Trump about his decision.

The Department of Government Efficiency was established during Trump's second administration with the mandate to identify and eliminate wasteful government spending. Musk's role involved overseeing this initiative, which he claims will continue despite his departure.

Musk, who is the CEO of Tesla, SpaceX, and owner of social media platform X (formerly Twitter), has been a controversial figure in American politics, with his political positions shifting over time. His support for Trump during the 2024 presidential campaign was seen as influential in the election outcome.

The White House has not yet announced a replacement for Musk or commented on how his departure might affect the DOGE initiative moving forward.