President Donald Trump indicated on Thursday that Elon Musk might step down from his advisory role within "a few months." This marks a clear signal that Musk, one of the administration's most influential people, could soon conclude his tenure in government.
President Trump, speaking aboard Air Force One, praised Elon Musk as "fantastic" but acknowledged Musk's demanding schedule, noting that he has "a number of companies to run."
"I want him to stay as long as possible," he said.
"There's going to be a point where he's going to have to leave," Trump added.
Asked how long he would be staying, Trump said, "I would think a few months."
The president's comments came after a steady drumbeat of suggestions over the last week that Musk's time was limited. Musk also faced a setback on Tuesday in Wisconsin, where voters rejected his choice for a state Supreme Court candidate despite more than $21 million in personal donations and his campaign appearance over the weekend.
Since taking on the role in January, Musk has faced criticism for his aggressive push to cut federal spending and eliminate government jobs, actions he claims are necessary to overhaul Washington. The DOGE initiative, under Musk's leadership, has already executed sweeping reductions in government contracts and workforce, with reports suggesting his efforts could slash $1 trillion in federal spending.
**White House silent on DOGE shutdown timeline**
The White House has not disclosed any timeline for closing down DOGE, and the government's cost-cutting organisation was never supposed to become a permanent fixture in Washington. DOGE was originally intended to operate until July 4, 2026. Now there are signs that it is already winding down. DOGE employees have been shifted to various federal agencies, which are supposed to take the lead on cutting costs, reports PTI.
“We think probably, over the next two or three months, we'll be pretty much satisfied with the people that are working hard and want to be members of the administration,” Trump said last week.
Musk was hired as a special government employee, which means he can only work 130 days in a 365-day time period. "I think we will have accomplished most of the work required to reduce the deficit by a trillion dollars within that time frame."
Musk told Bret Baier of Fox News on March 27. Musk did not commit to leaving the administration by any particular date, and it is unclear how the administration is tracking Musk's time. On May 30, it will be 130 days since Trump's inauguration on January 20.
(With inputs from PTI)
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