Elon Musk, who has been a dominant presence in President Donald Trump’s first 100 days back in office, is no longer working from the White House, according to multiple reports.
Musk is transitioning out of his role with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and returning to his civilian life.
White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles confirmed the change to The New York Post while marking Trump’s 100-day milestone.
“Instead of meeting with him in person, I’m talking to him on the phone, but it’s the same net effect,” Wiles said. “He hasn’t been here physically, but it really doesn’t matter much.”
The world’s richest man has been serving as an unpaid special government employee, a status that legally limits him to working no more than 130 days per year for the government.
His official role with DOGE is scheduled to conclude at the end of May, after which he will continue advising the effort informally.
“He’s not out of it altogether. He’s just not physically present as much as he was,” Wiles explained. “The people that are doing this work are here doing good things and paying attention to the details. He’ll be stepping back a little, but he’s certainly not abandoning it. And his people are definitely not.”
Musk’s team will continue working from the Eisenhower Executive Office Building adjacent to the West Wing, according to Wiles.
The billionaire’s departure from day-to-day White House operations comes as he signaled a shift in priorities during a recent Tesla earnings call. “Starting next month, I will be allocating far more of my time to Tesla,” Musk told investors, adding that “the major work of establishing” DOGE has been completed.
The White House had previously confirmed that Musk’s transition was always part of the plan. When asked by Fox News’ Bret Baier if he would work beyond the typical 130-day limit for special government employees, Musk responded, “I think we will have accomplished most of the work required to reduce the deficit by a trillion dollars within that timeframe.”
During his tenure with DOGE, Musk was a fixture at the White House — briefing Trump personally in the Oval Office, attending cabinet meetings, and frequently traveling with the president on Air Force One, often accompanied by his young son X.
His cost-cutting crusade targeted numerous federal agencies, including efforts to gut the “woke” US Agency for International Development and its 10,000 employees, and supporting plans to shutter the 1,700-person Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
While the precise amount of money DOGE has cut remains unclear, analysis indicates the department has axed at least 58,486 jobs, with nearly 150,000 more expected. Some employees who were fired have been temporarily reinstated following court orders.
Musk’s aggressive approach to government cost-cutting made him a villain in the mainstream media. His role drew criticism from Democrats, who encouraged vandalism against Tesla vehicles and charging stations.
Still, the South Africa-born billionaire has not shied away from theatrical displays in his government role. In February, he brandished a chainsaw at a rally — given to him by Argentinian President Javier Milei — while shouting “This is the chainsaw for bureaucracy.”