Trump government: Elon Musk announces withdrawal from Washington

The time of Tech billionaire Elon Musk in Washington has expired. His use as a « special government agent » comes to an end, wrote Musk on his online platform X. According to US rules, this status is limited to 130 days.

In principle, it was clear that Musk would have to give up the position at the end of May. At the same time, in the area of US President Donald Trump According to media reports, they have been considered to extend the deadline through part -time.

However, Musk’s role as a consultant of Trump has been greatly reduced for weeks. He announced a month ago that he would spend less time than Trump’s cost lower in the government apparatus from May. Instead, he will be more about the concerns of what he had Electric car manufacturer Tesla take care. At the same time, Musk said that he wanted to continue to be involved in government tasks a day or two a week – if Trump wanted to.

The president did not try to stop Musk: you have to let him go so that he could take care of cars and rockets in his space company SpaceX again, Trump said at the time.

Careful criticism from Musk

At the time of time in Washington, Musk now comes first words of criticism. In an interview by the broadcaster CBS, he said that he was « disappointed » about the legislative package with considerable tax cuts through the President in the House of Representatives. It undermined Doge’s cost reductions, argued Musk.

Saved $ 160 billion?

Musk became the face of Trump’s cost reductions in the government apparatus – even if he did not formally conduct the body formed for this, how the White House held in court documents. At X, Musk Trump thanked « for the possibility to shorten wasteful expenses ». According to Doge, Doge has saved around $ 160 billion. But this number is questioned by critics. Among other things, they speak of the fact that a lot has been counted – or have been saved before Doge. In the election campaign, Musk had spoken of saving two trillion dollars.

Development aid in the wood chopper

Musk became more unpopular through his approach to Washington. Another tech billionaire-Microsoft founder Bill Gates-even accused him of being responsible for the future death of millions of children in poorer countries. Musk had tended to have thrown the US Development Aid Organization in the « wood chopper » on a weekend. In addition to Musk’s right political views, the activities in Washington were another reason, especially for some US buyers, no longer buying Teslas.

Musk had put more than $ 250 million in Trump’s election campaign and had become a confidante. At the beginning of Trump’s term of office, Musk was often seen next to the president. However, one cut was the vote on an important judge’s post in the state of Wisconsin. Musk fell into the election campaign – but the Republican candidate he supported lost. Some observers said that Musks help had the opposite effect.

There were also conflicts with government members – the musk lost. According to media reports, he and Finance Minister Scott Bessen are said to have shouted so hard in the White House that employees had to intervene.