Elon Musk, once self-described as President Donald Trump’s “first buddy,” is stepping down from his role in Washington. In recent days, the billionaire has made clear that his time as a government official is over, signaling growing distance — and disillusionment — with the administration he once championed.

As reported by The New York Times, Musk confirmed his departure in a post on X, his social media platform, thanking Trump “for the opportunity to reduce wasteful spending.” He added that the mission of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), the initiative he led, “will only strengthen over time.”

Despite the friendly tone, Musk’s recent interviews and behavior suggest he’s had enough of politics — at least for now. “I think I probably did spend a bit too much time on politics,” he told Ars Technica, adding that he had “reduced that significantly” in recent weeks.

Musk also criticized one of Trump’s key domestic policies. In an interview with CBS News, he said, “I was disappointed to see the massive spending bill, frankly, which increases the budget deficit, not just decreases it, and undermines the work that the DOGE team is doing.” The White House did not respond directly, but deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller defended the bill online, insisting it would reduce the deficit.

One major source of Musk’s recent frustration involved a deal between a rival AI company and the United Arab Emirates to build a massive data center in Abu Dhabi — a project that excluded his own AI venture, xAI. According to The New York Times, Musk raised complaints to Trump’s AI adviser David Sacks and other officials, questioning the fairness of the arrangement.

Even as he joined the president on his Middle East tour, Musk was noticeably sidelined. Trump did not mention him in public appearances, and Gulf officials seemed more focused on envoy Steve Witkoff than on the tech magnate. At a private dinner in Qatar, Musk stood in line like everyone else to shake Trump’s hand — a stark contrast to his early influence in the administration.

In February, Musk had bounded on stage at CPAC with a chainsaw, boasting about slashing billions from the federal budget. But that flamboyant energy has since given way to public regret. “It’s an uphill battle trying to improve things in D.C.,” he told The Washington Post this week.

Internal resistance played a role. As The New York Times reported, several Trump aides and Cabinet officials opposed Musk’s directives — like requiring federal employees to send weekly reports listing their top five accomplishments or face termination. That requirement was lifted this week for Defense Department civilians.

Musk’s once-direct access to Trump also drew criticism. According to the Times, the president grew uneasy after learning — through media reports — that Musk was scheduled for a classified Pentagon briefing on China. Though Trump had long defended Musk, that moment marked a turning point.

The billionaire’s political frustrations run deeper. According to sources cited by The New York Times, Musk is still upset over Trump’s tariff policies and the roughly \$25 million he spent backing a losing judicial candidate in Wisconsin.

Musk has yet to deliver a promised \$100 million donation to Trump’s political operation ahead of the 2026 midterms. Instead, he’s refocusing on his companies. “Back to spending 24/7 at work,” he posted on X over the weekend, noting that his attention is now on Tesla, SpaceX, and xAI.

On Tuesday, he attended the latest Starship test flight. The launch was successful at first but ended in an explosion. Musk called it a “big improvement,” postponing a planned talk on his long-term space vision. A video showed him watching from mission control, wearing a T-shirt that read “Occupy Mars.”

While Musk’s personal withdrawal from government appears definitive, his influence lingers. Loyalists like Steve Davis still operate within the General Services Administration, and investor Antonio Gracias is now combing federal databases in search of alleged illegal voting by foreign nationals.

For now, Musk’s Washington chapter ends in quiet contrast to how it began — not with a chainsaw, but with a sigh. “It can be done,” he told reporters recently, referring to cutting \$1 trillion in federal spending. “But it requires dealing with a lot of complaints.”

With information from AFP