Elon Musk's White House crusade comes to an end: What he really did in 129 chaotic days as Trump’s DOGE chief

Elon Musk is stepping down from his post in the Trump administration after 129 controversial days leading the Department of Government Efficiency, better known as DOGE.

The billionaire, confirmed his departure earlier this week in a post on X, his own social media platform, where he thanked President Trump for the opportunity.

Trump, in turn, announced a news conference at the Oval Office on Friday (May 30) with Musk by his side. “This will be his last day, but not really, because he will, always, be with us, helping all the way,” he wrote.

Despite being in government for just over four months, Musk’s impact was significant, shaking up departments across Washington and leaving a ripple effect around the world.

Deep cuts to federal budget marked Musk's tenure

Musk joined the Trump administration to cut as much government spending as possible. At first, he aimed to cut $2 trillion from the budget, though that figure later dropped to $1 trillion, and then settled at $150 billion.

According to DOGE, the department ultimately achieved $175 billion in savings. These came from asset sales, cancelled leases and grants, deleted “fraud and improper payments,” reduced regulation and by cutting 260,000 workers from the 2.3 million-strong federal workforce.

However, the scale of the cuts also brought chaos. In several cases, judges blocked mass layoffs and ordered the reinstatement of sacked employees.

Musk admitted early on that mistakes were likely. In February, after DOGE cut an aid programme confusing Mozambique for Gaza, he said: “We will make mistakes. But we'll act quickly to correct any mistakes.”

One of the most dramatic effects of Musk’s policies was felt abroad. After a six-week review, DOGE eliminated more than 80% of programmes run by the US Agency for International Development (USAID), with the rest absorbed by the State Department.

These cuts aligned with Trump’s “America First” agenda but hit hard. Projects ranging from famine response and vaccinations to support for transgender clinics in India and scholarships for Afghan women were either cut back or shut down.

Ethical concerns over Musk's dual role

Musk’s presence in the White House raised eyebrows. He was not elected, but held considerable power, all while his companies continued doing business with the US government.

Some Democrats claimed he used his post to promote Starlink, his satellite internet firm, overseas. The White House was also accused of giving special treatment to Tesla, Musk’s electric car company, after showcasing its vehicles on the South Lawn in March.

Musk clashed with officials over scale of cuts

Despite public unity, tensions simmered within the administration over Musk’s sweeping budget cuts. While Trump gave DOGE his full support, some cabinet members reportedly grew uneasy.

In one cabinet meeting in February, Trump addressed the discomfort. “They have a lot of respect for Elon and that he's doing this, and some disagree a little bit,” he said. “If they aren't, I want them to speak up.” No one did.

On the same day Musk’s departure was announced, CBS aired part of an interview in which Musk voiced frustration over Trump’s latest budget bill.

Calling it a “big, beautiful” spending plan packed with tax breaks and boosted defence funding, Musk said it “undermines” DOGE's work.