Elon Musk has declared that his tenure as head of President Donald Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is coming to a close.
“As my term as a special government employee concludes, I want to thank President [Trump] for the chance to cut wasteful spending,” Musk stated. “The DOGE mission will only grow stronger as it becomes ingrained in government operations.”
Tesla CEO Musk has enacted a series of sweeping changes aimed at eliminating government waste. His cuts to federal agencies and the cancellation of billions of dollars in government contracts—many of which have reportedly —have drawn considerable criticism.
Musk himself has also faced backlash. His Tesla showrooms have been targeted by , and people have boycotted him and his businesses.
Here’s a review of Musk’s most contentious moments during his time as a “special government employee.”
“Cruel” email to federal employees generates widespread criticism
In February, Musk’s leadership came under scrutiny following an sent to various government departments, requiring employees to respond within a specific timeframe and summarize their weekly work.
The email—titled “What did you do last week?”—was distributed from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to workers in several government departments. Musk that “failure to respond will be taken as a resignation.” However, the email sent to employees made no mention of resignation.
The email—along with Musk’s subsequent social media warning—sparked outrage from multiple unions and prominent figures.
Everett Kelley, president of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), described it as “cruel and disrespectful,” and labeled Musk an “out-of-touch, privileged, unelected billionaire.”
Some department heads initially advised their employees to prioritize their internal performance review process instead of responding to the email. FBI Director Kash Patel informed employees that they should “pause any responses.”
Earlier this week, it was reported that the Pentagon with its civilian employees, who will no longer be required to send an email detailing their activities from the previous week.
Overhauling multiple agencies through DOGE
Musk’s leadership of DOGE has been marked by controversy, particularly due to his significant cuts at the federal level. These cuts, along with actions from the Trump Administration, led to mass layoffs, the termination of government contracts, and . DOGE to have saved the federal government an estimated $175 billion, a figure that has during various verification attempts.
Musk’s has triggered a against Musk and DOGE, alleging violations of the Constitution through accessing government data systems, canceling federal agency contracts, and terminating federal employees.
Musk’s straight-arm salute at a Trump rally
Musk’s White House career began on a controversial note at a celebratory rally following Trump’s inauguration. He appeared to give a straight-arm salute at the Capitol One Arena in Washington, D.C., while enthusiastically telling the crowd: “My heart goes out to you.”
The gesture immediately stirred controversy, with some individuals, including history and U.S. , expressing concern that it resembled a Nazi salute.
Others, including the Anti-Defamation League, defended Musk, suggesting he making an “awkward gesture in a moment of enthusiasm.”
Musk addressed the controversy himself, : “The radical leftists are really upset that they had to take time out of their busy day praising Hamas to call me a Nazi.”
DOGE employees resigning
Several civil service employees resigned from DOGE, citing their refusal to use their expertise to “dismantle critical public services,” according to a joint resignation letter sent to the White House chief of staff on Feb. 25, that was obtained by the .
The employees had been working for the United States Digital Service, but their duties had been integrated into DOGE.
Musk responded directly to the AP article, “fake news from Associated Propaganda.”
“These were Dem political holdovers who refused to return to the office,” Musk said of the employees. “They would have been fired had they not resigned.”
There have also been mass since Trump returned to the White House and established DOGE.
David Lebryk, the highest-ranking career official at the Treasury Department, retired on Jan. 31 after disagreements with Musk’s team over access to government payment systems, the .
Musk criticizes Trump’s “big, beautiful bill”
Shortly before announcing the scheduled end of his DOGE role, Musk publicly criticized Trump’s “big, beautiful bill.” , he concurred that the spending bill—currently under Senate consideration—undermines the spending cuts achieved by DOGE.
“I was disappointed to see the massive spending bill, frankly, which increases the budget deficit,” Musk stated. “I think a bill can be big or it can be beautiful, but I don’t know if it can be both, [that’s] my personal opinion.”
This is not the first instance of Musk openly criticizing individuals or actions from the White House. He previously denounced Peter Navarro—the senior counselor for trade and manufacturing, and the architect of Trump’s tariffs—labeling him “.”
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