Elon Musk has officially stepped down from his 130-day-per-year role in the White House as a special state employee. His exit comes during a turbulent period for both Tesla and his political-economic experiment, DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency).
🚗 Tesla in Trouble
Musk’s departure coincides with major setbacks for Tesla:
- European sales have dropped by 50% in one month
- Rising competition from hybrids and Chinese automakers
- Protests and attacks on Tesla dealerships
- Mounting shareholder frustration over Musk’s time spent on DOGE and politics
📉 Investor Frustration & Political Fallout
Musk openly criticized the recently passed One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which adds $3.8 trillion to the U.S. deficit by 2034. He quipped:
“I believe that the law can be big or beautiful, but not both at the same time.”
His role was designed to focus on cutting inefficiencies, but he admitted that the federal bureaucracy was “worse than expected.” The elimination of 260,000 government jobs under DOGE reforms made the initiative deeply unpopular, with Musk saying:
“DOGE becomes a scapegoat – we are blamed for all the troubles, even if we have nothing to do with it.”
💼 Fallout for xAI & OpenAI Rivalry
Adding to the drama, Musk reportedly flew to the Middle East to block a major U.S. AI contract with Persian Gulf partners unless his firm, xAI, was included. However, the deal went ahead — with OpenAI — the same company Musk is actively suing.
🧑💼 Leadership Rumors & Denials
As The Wall Street Journal reported the search for a new Tesla CEO, both the company and Musk denied any leadership change. However, tensions remain high as shareholders push back against his divided focus.
📢 Final Statement
Musk claims his departure is strictly due to the end of his term and not linked to conflict with Trump or Tesla’s internal issues. Still, the timing — amid mounting legal, political, and corporate pressure — tells a story of its own.
