Trump Hints at Musk's Departure from White House Role by Late May

President Donald Trump hinted on Monday that Elon Musk’s temporary role as a White House adviser may soon come to an end, allowing the Tesla CEO to refocus on his businesses. Speaking at a signing ceremony, Trump praised Musk’s contributions to government efficiency efforts but suggested his return to his company was likely. “He’s amazing, but he has a big company to run,” Trump said. “At some point, he’ll go back. I’d keep him as long as possible.”

Musk joined the administration as a special adviser, where he’s leading the charge on cost cutting measures at the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). His mission was to reduce the federal deficit by an $1 trillion. Supporters commend him for trying to solve government inefficiency, while critics claim that his drastic downsizing, especially the significant job cuts has led to disruption. A recent Quinnipiac poll shows that more than half of voters believe Musk’s efforts are actually harming the country.

Musk’s 130 day role, which is set to end in late May, cannot be extended due to federal guidelines. Although some officials hinted he might remain, Trump now seems to be accepting his exit, saying that any future efficiency tasks will be taken on by Cabinet members. Musk has told reporters, “We’ll have accomplished most of the deficit-reduction work by then.”