Elon Musks final message after resigning from DOGE
In a headline-grabbing move that sent shockwaves through both political and tech circles, Elon Musk abruptly resigned from his government advisory role—three days ahead of schedule—citing deep frustration with President Donald Trump’s new federal spending package.
“I think a bill can be big or it can be beautiful… but I don’t know if it can be both,” Musk said in a sharp CBS interview aired May 27.
Musk had been appointed as a Special Government Employee, a temporary advisory post within the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), co-led with entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy. The mission? Cut waste, slash bureaucracy, and dismantle bloated government programs. The role was never permanent, but it ended with far more drama than anticipated.
What pushed Musk over the edge was the unveiling of Trump’s latest economic proposal—dubbed the “Big, Beautiful Bill.” The package includes sweeping defense increases, massive corporate tax cuts, and billions earmarked for the president’s pet project: the “Golden Dome” missile defense system. While it scraped through the House, the bill is still awaiting Senate approval.
Critics say it could balloon the national deficit by over $600 billion in the coming fiscal year—directly clashing with the very goals DOGE was founded on. Musk didn’t hold back. “It undermines the entire premise of what DOGE was created to fix,” he said. “It’s a step backward.”
He echoed that disappointment on X, the platform he owns: “As my time as a Special Government Employee ends, I’m grateful for the opportunity to combat waste. The DOGE mission isn’t about a title. It’s about changing the culture.”
The White House, however, seemed eager to distance itself after Musk’s critique. According to BBC sources, Musk’s departure was accelerated internally following his comments. Trump himself hasn’t directly responded, but a cryptic post on Truth Social—a meme showing him walking alone with the phrase “He’s on a mission from God & nothing can stop what is coming”—suggests the rift isn’t entirely amicable.
The DOGE initiative, launched with much fanfare, aimed to implement radical cost-cutting reforms. Its goals included large-scale federal layoffs, dismantling DEI programs, cutting the Department of Education, and shutting down the entire DOGE operation by July 4, 2026, symbolically aligning with U.S. Independence Day.
Now, with Musk gone, the future of DOGE looks shaky.
While Trump and Musk were once seen as an unlikely but powerful duo—uniting over libertarian values, anti-bureaucratic sentiment, and a shared disdain for traditional institutions—this clash signals a major philosophical divide. Musk, always a fierce advocate for innovation and efficiency, seems unwilling to back initiatives that compromise his core values, even if they come from an ally.
For now, Musk appears to be stepping back from politics, but not from his mission. “The DOGE mission will only grow stronger,” he said. “This isn’t over.”
With the Senate now preparing to weigh in on the spending bill, Washington is watching closely—not just to see how the budget battle unfolds, but to witness the long-term fallout of Musk’s bold and very public exit.