Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has made a stunning decision to step down from his role in the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a move that marks a significant turning point in his career and his influence over both business and politics. Musk, once the world’s wealthiest individual with a fortune surpassing $800 billion, has been struggling to maintain control over his vast empire as Tesla’s stock falls, protests erupt against his political involvement, and a major cybersecurity incident hits his social media platform, X (formerly Twitter).

Musk’s announcement, made during an exclusive Fox News interview, signals his desire to refocus on his core business ventures, following a tumultuous period of challenges both personally and professionally.

“I think we will have accomplished most of the work required to reduce the deficit by $1 trillion within that time frame,” Musk said in reference to his decision to leave DOGE by late May 2025. His comments came amid growing pressure from both public protests and declining stock prices. This resignation is emblematic of Musk’s ongoing struggle to balance his extensive business empire with his political and governmental undertakings.

The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) was established under an executive order from President Donald Trump on January 20, 2025. The mission of the agency was to streamline federal operations, reduce expenditures, and bring innovation to the federal government, an effort Musk was uniquely qualified to lead due to his success in Silicon Valley with companies like Tesla and SpaceX.

Though Musk was not officially the head of DOGE, serving as a special advisor to President Trump, his influence over the agency’s initiatives was undeniable. Musk’s approach to government reform was inspired by his business philosophy — fast-paced, efficiency-driven, and disruptive.

His main goal was to reduce the federal deficit by $1 trillion, which he claimed would be accomplished by late May 2025. However, as time passed, it became clear that the methods Musk used to achieve these goals were causing significant tension within the federal government and the public at large.

Musk’s leadership led to mass layoffs across several federal agencies, cutting positions in an effort to shrink the federal bureaucracy and reallocate resources. This has sparked not only internal conflicts within the administration but also a backlash from the public, particularly those who rely on the services that were slashed.

His tenure at DOGE is characterized by a rapid, top-down approach that many have criticized as too harsh and unempathetic, particularly given the impact on employees who were given very little notice before being laid off.

While Musk argued that the cuts were necessary to modernize the government, his critics have pointed to the suddenness and scale of the layoffs as signs of poor management. Moreover, many government workers feel as though they were being treated with disregard.“I think we were targeted,” one source from DOGE told CNN. “Denying bonuses, in particular, came across as extremely cruel and callous.”As the U.S. government attempted to navigate these difficult cuts, the public’s frustration with Musk only grew, leading to widespread protests against his influence in Washington.The “Tesla Takedown” movement, which began as a protest against Musk’s role in government, has spread across the U.S. and beyond. Demonstrations have targeted Tesla dealerships in cities such as Ann Arbor and Troy, Michigan, with protesters condemning Musk’s political influence and calling for a boycott of Tesla’s electric vehicles.These protests are driven not just by economic concerns but by growing distrust in Musk’s political ambitions and his involvement in government spending cuts.The protests have also gained international traction, with similar movements cropping up in countries like Australia, the United Kingdom, and several nations across Europe.

Demonstrators outside Tesla showrooms are voicing solidarity with U.S. protesters and calling attention to Musk’s role in shaping both U.S. politics and the future of the auto industry.The global reach of these protests speaks to the growing sense of anger and frustration over Musk’s increasing influence on government policy, particularly as it impacts workers and consumers.In response to the protests, Musk has remained largely defiant, continuing to defend his position and the efficiency-driven approach that he believes will ultimately benefit the economy. However, the backlash against him has only intensified, and it appears that Musk’s political involvement has become a liability for his businesses as well as his public image.Tesla’s stock, which had once skyrocketed to astronomical heights, has been falling steadily. The company’s market value has been impacted by the negative publicity surrounding Musk’s role in government, and investors are beginning to express concerns about his ability to lead the company effectively.With the decline in stock prices and growing unrest, Musk’s wealth, which had previously exceeded $400 billion, has taken a significant hit.Compounding Musk’s difficulties was a major cybersecurity breach at his social media platform, X. On March 10, 2025, a massive cyberattack took down X’s servers in Asia, Europe, and North America, rendering the platform inaccessible for millions of users.The incident sparked widespread outrage, as users were unable to access the platform for several hours, leading to accusations of inadequate security measures and a lack of transparency in handling the breach.X has faced several technical and content-related controversies since Musk’s acquisition of the platform in 2022, and this latest attack only added fuel to the fire. Musk’s critics have raised questions about his ability to manage multiple high-profile companies at once, with X becoming a particular point of contention. Advertisers have expressed concern over the platform’s ability to maintain user trust, and the security breach only exacerbated these concerns.While Musk has continued to promote X as a key part of his vision for the future of digital communication, the platform has struggled with technical glitches, misinformation issues, and the fallout from its acquisition. The cyberattack served as a reminder that Musk’s business ventures are not immune to the same pressures that have affected his other companies.Musk’s announcement to step down from DOGE marks a pivotal moment in his career. As Tesla continues to struggle with declining stock prices and protests, and with X facing technical issues, Musk has made it clear that he intends to refocus his efforts on his core businesses.In the same Fox News interview where he announced his resignation, Musk expressed his desire to return to Tesla and SpaceX, saying, “We have a lot of exciting projects in the pipeline, and I need to be hands-on to ensure that we continue to lead in innovation.”The decision to leave DOGE allows Musk to focus on the ventures that have defined his career.

Tesla’s push toward electric vehicles, SpaceX’s ambition to colonize Mars, and the potential for Starship to become the future of interplanetary travel are all projects that Musk is deeply invested in.His decision to step away from DOGE reflects a shift away from politics and toward the innovation-driven work that has brought him to the forefront of technological advancements.Elon Musk’s departure from DOGE marks the end of a chapter in his tumultuous relationship with government, but it does not signal the end of his influence. Whether his focus on Tesla, SpaceX, and X will allow him to recover from the setbacks he has faced in recent months remains to be seen.With his $800,000,000,000 fortune under threat, Musk’s next moves will be critical in determining the future of his empire. As he navigates through the challenges of declining stock prices, protests, and cybersecurity crises, the tech mogul must find a way to balance his ambitions with the realities of running multiple high-profile companies.For now, the decision to step down from DOGE represents a return to what Musk knows best: innovation, disruption, and building the future.