1 day ago
Last Updated:May 29, 2025, 07:56 IST
Elon Musk is set to exit the Trump administration. The duo were not besties since ever as they hurled insults at each other until some years ago.
Elon Musk exits Trump administration (Reuters Image)
Tesla CEO Elon Musk is set to exit the Donald Trump administration as his term comes to a close by the end of May. He expressed gratitude to the US President for giving him the opportunity to reduce wasteful spending in the government.
“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. The @DOGE mission will only strengthen over time as it becomes a way of life throughout the government," Musk posted on X, announcing his exit.
After his victory in the 2024 Presidential election, Trump announced Musk to lead the Department of Government Efficiency, DOGE, as a “Special Government Employee", which allows a person to work in the government capacity for 130 days a year.
Since the January 20 inauguration, Musk has worked closely with Trump to reduce government spending. However, lately he has had some public disagreements with Trump, including the law proposed by the government, which Trump dubbed a “big beautiful bill".
Musk’s relationship with Trump has not been rosy since ever, with the duo hurling insults at each other not too long ago, until the Tesla CEO ended up endorsing Trump as a candidate for the US President last year. A look at how critics turned “besties" and then the ultimate fallout.
Pre-Trump-Musk Bromance Era
In 2016, Musk was not the biggest fan of his future bestie, as he publicly said that Trump was not fit to run for the US President.
“I feel a bit stronger that he is not the right guy. He doesn’t seem to have the sort of character that reflects well on the United States," Musk had told CNBC during an interview at that time.
However, his doubts didn’t seem to last long. Just a month after Trump won his first election, Musk was appointed to an economic advisory council by Trump, along with Uber CEO Travis Kalanick.
In June 2017, the duo’s professional relationship took a hit after Trump announced that the US would be withdrawing from the Paris Climate Agreement, as Musk went on to tender his resignation from his positions on the presidential advisory boards.
“Am departing presidential councils. Climate change is real. Leaving Paris is not good for America or the world," Musk then tweeted.
2022 saw see-saw remarks by Trump about Musk as he described Musk as one of the world’s “great geniuses" in January that year, while also likening him to Thomas Edison. However, by July, Trump flipped his stance to refer to Musk as “another bulls*** artist".
While speaking about free speech at a rally in Anchorage, Alaska, Trump talked about Musk’s promise to buy the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.
“Elon is not going to buy Twitter… he said the other day ‘Oh, I’ve never voted for a Republican’. I said ‘I didn’t know that’. He told me he voted for me. So he’s another bulls*** artist," Trump said.
I don’t hate the man, but it’s time for Trump to hang up his hat & sail into the sunset.Dems should also call off the attack – don’t make it so that Trump’s only way to survive is to regain the Presidency.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 12, 2022
Musk responded to the video clip, “I don’t hate the man, but it’s time for Trump to hang up his hat & sail into the sunset."
By October, Musk officially completed the acquisition of Twitter.
How Trump-Musk Bromance Started
By September 2023, Musk started aligning himself with Trump’s policies, including those on immigration. He spoke in favour of a US border wall with Mexico, which was a hot topic during the election campaign.
“We actually do need a wall and we need to require people to have some shred of evidence to claim asylum to enter, as everyone is doing that…" Musk said.
In March 2024, Musk had said that he would not donate to either candidate in the presidential election. However, in July, when Trump survived an assassination attempt at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, the billionaire extended support to Trump.
Just to be super clear, I am not donating money to either candidate for US President— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 6, 2024
Soon after bullets were fired at Trump, during which he suffered injuries to his right ear, Musk endorsed the Republican leader and committed nearly $45 million a month to a new pro-Trump super PAC called America PAC.
In October 2024, Musk made his first public appearance with Trump at a rally and jumped onto the stage, donning a black ‘Make America Great Again’ cap.
“As you can see, I’m not just MAGA — I’m dark MAGA," he told the crowd.
Tesla Boycott
After Musk joined Trump’s second term as DOGE chief, his department either fired or offered early retirement deals to around 100,000 federal workers. It also gained access to the private personal and financial details of millions of Americans.
As Musk became a firm voice of the administration, Tesla bore the brunt as its facilities across the country faced protests and vandalism.
Thousands of citizens hit the roads in parts of the US, launching “Tesla Takedown" protests – many of them were peaceful, however, some were even violent with fires intentionally set at Tesla showrooms and charging stations in Colorado and Massachusetts.
Hundreds of protesters had also occupied a Tesla showroom in New York, leading to the arrest of six persons.
Trump-Musk Fallout
Musk had recently expressed his “disappointment" with the Trump administration’s main legislative plan, which the President described as a “big beautiful bill". This legislation included tax cuts and tougher immigration policies.
In a CBS interview, Musk described it as a “massive spending bill" that he believed would increase the national debt and hurt the progress his DOGE team had been working on.
“I think a bill can be big or it could be beautiful. But I don’t know if it could be both," Musk said.
Reacting to Musk’s remarks, Trump still backed the bill, stating, “I’m not happy about certain aspects of it, but I’m thrilled by other aspects of it."
Sources earlier told Mediate that Trump is now becoming “annoyed" with his “first buddy" after Musk engaged in a public spat with other members of the MAGA over H1B visas.
“100 percent Trump is annoyed," a source who worked on Trump’s re-election campaign told the outlet earlier this year.
Location :Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)
First Published:News world From Frenemy To Fanboy To Fallout: Elon Musk's Rollercoaster Ride With Trump Explained
