U.S. President Donald Trump has informed members of his cabinet and close associates that Elon Musk, the billionaire CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, will soon step back from his current government role.
Musk was appointed by Trump as a special government employee tasked with overseeing efforts to slash government spending and dismantle select federal agencies. His term, based on prior reports, is set for 130 days and could conclude as early as May.
According to Politico, both Trump and Musk have recently agreed that Musk will soon return to focus on his businesses, although no official date has been announced.
As of now, representatives for the White House, Musk, and the task force he leads have not publicly commented on the reported decision.
When questioned about Musk’s potential extension in the role, Trump told reporters on Monday:
“I think he’s amazing, but I also think he’s got a big company to run. At some point, he’s going to be going back. He wants to.”
Despite the short-term nature of his appointment, Musk has made significant headlines, particularly with his bold claim last week in an interview with Fox News, where he expressed confidence in his mission:
He told Fox News last week that he was confident he would finish most of the work to cut $1 trillion in federal spending.
Musk’s departure is expected to spark discussions on who will continue the task of federal cost-cutting and agency reform, especially as Trump doubles down on streamlining government operations.
