The businessman thanked President Donald Trump “for the opportunity to reduce wasteful spending,” in his Wednesday, May 28, announcement.

Elon Musk announced he is departing from his government role as a top adviser to President Donald Trump.

The 53-year-old businessman posted to X on Wednesday, May 28, sharing his decision to leave the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

“As my scheduled time as a Special Government Employee comes to an end, I would like to thank President @realDonaldTrump for the opportunity to reduce wasteful spending,” he wrote. “The @DOGE mission will only strengthen over time as it becomes a way of life throughout the government.”

Musk losing his special government employee status is expected because his role had a set end date. However, a White House official confirmed to the Associated Press that Musk was leaving rather than just stepping into a less official role.

Donald Trump and Elon Musk in Washington, on January 19, 2025.Tom Brenner for The Washington Post via Getty

Since Trump’s second term began, Musk has served as a White House adviser heading DOGE and worked to make major cuts to areas of the government the administration deems unnecessary.

However, his departure comes one day after he criticized Trump’s budget legislation agenda, explaining that he is “disappointed” in Trump’s “Big, Beautiful Bill.”

The bill was passed in the House of Representatives on May 22. It is funding its tax cuts and military spending in part by cutting some federal health and energy programs. However, it is also poised to add an estimated $3.8 trillion to the national deficit, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office.

Musk said he feels that the new legislation could soon undercut DOGE’s work.

“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,” he told CBS Sunday Morning in an interview that will air in full on June 1.