OPINION: Elon Musk leaves the Trump Administration

Elon Musk, who referred to himself as President Trump’s “first buddy,” is now leaving the White House to narrow his focus towards his own companies.

President Donald Trump speaks alongside Elon Musk in the Oval Office on May 30 [Evan Vucci/AP Photo]

Mr. Musk is dissatisfied with the challenges he faced while confronting the federal bureaucracy. Additionally, while speaking to CBS News, Musk expressed his disappointment with the domestic policy bill that the president passed this past week. The bill includes significant tax cuts, an increased funding for defense and immigration enforcement, which cuts the funding for renewable energy sources, education, and health care. He says, “I was disappointed to see the massive spending bill, frankly, which increases the budget deficit, not just decreases it, and undermines the work that the DOGE team is doing.” His DOGE team refers to the Department of Government Efficiency, whose main goal is to supposedly reduce government spending. Mr. Trump refused to directly address reporters' questions over Mr. Musk's remarks, but according to White House workers, Mr. Musk and Mr. Trump continue to be in good standing with one another.

According to a White House official, Mr. Musk expressed opposition to a proposed agreement between a competing A.I. firm and the UAE to construct a substantial data facility in Abu Dhabi. Mr. Musk voiced his displeasure with the Abu Dhabi initiative to the president's AI director David Sacks. He additionally wanted his own business, xAI, to be part of the agreement and voiced worries about fairness in general for other A.I. businesses. Compared to his influence at the start of the new administration, the billionaire's place on the sidelines represents a significant change. For example, a group of Mr. Trump's most affluent supporters gathered inside Qatar's Lusail Palace on May 14. Mr. Musk stood towards the side in line with all the others to greet Mr. Trump. Several other instances are also responsible for Mr. Musk’s personal disengagement with national politics– first: his annoyance with the president's tariff policy; second: the approximately $25 million he contributed to a candidate who lost a Wisconsin court election.

Mr. Musk has recently claimed that he has been too preoccupied with government and regretted the harm his involvement in the Trump administration has done to himself and his companies' reputations. 

Sources: 

“Here’s What’s in the Big Domestic Policy Bill to Deliver Trump’s Agenda,” The New York Times, https://www.nytimes.com/article/house-gop-tax-bill-trump.html. 

“A Disillusioned Musk, Distanced From Trump, Says He’s Exiting Washington ,” The New York Times, https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/28/us/politics/elon-musk-trump-doge.html

“Elon Musk officially leaves the White House,” NBC News, https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-administration/elon-musk-leaves-trump-white-house-rcna209636

“ Elon Musk announces exit from US government role after breaking with Trump on tax bill,” The Guardian, https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/may/29/elon-musk-announces-exit-from-us-government-role-after-breaking-with-trump-on-tax-bill.