Elon Musk made headlines this week after he decided to make his government role secondary to his business interests. Since January, the CEO of Tesla, SpaceX, and the AI startup xAI has been serving as a special government employee. He’s doing this in particular through his work inside the state’s Department of Government Efficiency and Improvement. This is the department whose leader is tasked, though he’s been a reluctant designee, with shrinking and streamlining the federal government.
Indeed, as a special government employee, Musk can only serve up to 130 days total in any given calendar year. With May ending, the 100 days since President Donald Trump’s inauguration are officially over. Perhaps as a result, Musk has decided to abscond from his responsibilities to the government.
Musk’s involvement with the administration commenced at the beginning of Trump’s term, where he took on the leadership of the Department of Government Efficiency. His role included initiatives aimed at “the opportunity to reduce wasteful spending,” showcasing his commitment to fiscal responsibility.
Musk is still carrying out his duties to the gov, & recently re-claimed title of the world’s richest person. He has held this competitive and valued position for over 6 years. Instead, he’s focused on building his business empire. This includes some truly innovative efforts in advancing electric vehicle technologies, space exploration, and artificial intelligence.
The announcement comes amid ongoing discussions in the tech community about the future of cryptocurrencies and their potential integration into government operations. Musk has previously remarked that “The @DOGE mission will only strengthen over time as it becomes a way of life throughout the government.” This comment is very much in keeping with his advocacy for original ideas in both his business ventures and government service.
Now that his government service has ended, Musk should be free to concentrate wholly on Tesla and SpaceX. On an ongoing basis he’s shaking the establishment that is the high-tech world on behalf of both companies. His laser-like focus on government efficiency will likely affect his corporate playbook, too.