Is Musk On His Way Out? Trump Has Reportedly Said So—Here's What We Know

Topline

Elon Musk may leave the Department of Government Efficiency soon, according to multiple reports in recent days—and his unconfirmed departure is leading to questions about what will happen to the government agency when Musk is no longer involved.

Key Facts

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Is Musk’s Government Work Time-Limited?

Yes. As a special government employee, Musk is only allowed to work 130 days in a 365-day period, and he has remained unpaid. Special government employees are subject to most rules and guidelines that full-time employees face, but there are fewer restrictions on certain things, like conflicts of interest, because the role is temporary. The designation does prohibit employees from participating in matters that could have financial conflicts of interest or affect a company they work for, though, and they are not supposed to use their role to influence an election while on duty.

Is Musk The Leader Of Doge?

Trump announced the creation of DOGE before he took office, and said Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy would lead it, though Ramaswamy left his role before the agency launched. The Trump administration has largely avoided saying recently that Musk has a formal role heading DOGE. In late February, after avoiding questions for weeks of who the administrator of DOGE was, the Trump administration confirmed Amy Gleason, a longtime healthcare technology executive who previously worked for the federal government, was serving as the DOGE administrator. Gleason’s name was thrown out after a Justice Department lawyer was unable to answer in court when asked if DOGE had a leader amid lawsuits over Musk’s authority and whether it was legal. Trump said he chose Musk to lead the agency and slash the federal government’s budget and workforce, and Trump’s press secretary said “Musk is overseeing DOGE,” but at the same time government lawyers told judges Musk was not an “employee of the U.S. DOGE Service.”

What Will Happen To Doge If Musk Leaves?

It’s unclear. A reporter asked Trump on Monday whether DOGE would keep operating without Musk, and he responded, “I can’t tell you that.” Trump continued: “A lot of the people working with DOGE are the secretaries, the heads of the various agencies, and they've learned a lot, and they're dealing with the DOGE people. I think some of them may try to keep the DOGE people with them, but you know at a certain point, I think it will end.”

How Has Tesla Stock Responded To Reports Of Musk Leaving Doge?

Tesla stock has jumped in the time since Politico published its report that Trump told his inner circle Musk may be leaving. The report was published at 11:17 a.m. EDT, and from 11:20 a.m. to 1 p.m. EDT, Tesla’s share price increased more than 4%.

Key Background

Trump has said DOGE’s goal is “to modernize federal technology and software to maximize efficiency and productivity,” and the agency had drawn near-constant criticism as it’s worked to slash the government workforce, and particularly as employees gained access to sensitive information across departments. Since Musk has been at DOGE, Tesla stock has tumbled and some have called on him to hire a new CEO and step down if he keeps prioritizing government work. A well-known analyst covering Tesla said in late March the company was “in crisis” and Musk had to recommit himself if he wanted it to recover, saying “Tesla’s future depends on” Musk changing course. Musk also heads several other companies, including X and SpaceX.

Forbes Valuation

We estimate Musk has a net worth of $386.5 billion as of around 1 p.m. EDT, making him the wealthiest person in the world. We estimate Trump has a net worth of about $4.7 billion, making him the 765th-wealthiest person alive.

Further Reading

Trump Tells Inner Circle That Musk Will Leave Soon (Politico)

‘Crisis Forming’ At Tesla As Elon Musk Dedicates Himself To DOGE, Bullish Analyst Warns (Forbes)

White House Says Elon Musk Trusted To Claim His Own Conflicts Of Interest As ‘Special Government Employee’—Here’s What That Means (Forbes)

Accenture Stock Dives To 8-Month Low As Company Says Elon Musk’s DOGE May Weigh On Sales (Forbes)