Special Poll
President Trump has privately told members of his inner circle that Elon Musk will be stepping away from his formal government role soon, despite the president’s overall satisfaction with Musk’s work. The move marks a notable shift in the Trump-Musk dynamic, especially considering that just a few weeks ago, administration insiders were confidently saying Musk was “here to stay” and predicting Trump would find a workaround to extend Musk’s temporary status.
According to senior administration officials familiar with the discussions, Musk is expected to retain an informal advisory role and may still be seen around the White House from time to time. However, one official warned that anyone expecting Musk to fully vanish from Trump’s orbit is “fooling themselves.”
The timing of the shift appears to line up with the end of Musk’s designation as a “special government employee,” a status that exempts him from certain ethics and conflict-of-interest laws. That designation is expected to expire in late May or early June, and officials say no extension is planned.
Within the administration, some of Musk’s defenders argue that now is a natural time to transition, suggesting that he’s already slashed federal agencies to the extent possible without doing serious harm to core functions. But other voices, including several senior officials, have expressed frustration with Musk’s conduct and communication.
According to insiders, Musk has frequently bypassed traditional chains of command, sharing major decisions and plans on social media without coordination or approval from the White House or relevant Cabinet secretaries. His posts on X, often related to drastic agency overhauls or staffing changes, have repeatedly caught officials off guard and sent teams scrambling to respond.
That unpredictability is now seen as a growing political liability, especially after Musk’s $20 million investment in the recent Wisconsin Supreme Court race became a lightning rod for criticism from Democrats. Some in the party framed the race as a referendum on Musk himself, attacking his influence over government operations and his partisan spending.
Sources say Trump began preparing for Musk’s exit before that backlash intensified. At a March 24 Cabinet meeting, Trump reportedly informed attendees that Musk would soon be transitioning out of the administration. While the meeting was closed to the press, a senior official later confirmed that Trump discussed the plan openly during the session.
Despite Trump’s praise for Musk’s work leading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and his aggressive cost-cutting reforms, the political calculations appear to be shifting. With Musk becoming a distraction and a potential vulnerability, the White House is quietly working to wind down his formal involvement a move that may help Trump tighten control over his messaging and avoid further controversy as his administration enters a critical stretch.
Though Musk is unlikely to disappear entirely, the change reflects a growing recognition inside the West Wing that his presence has become more of a risk than a reward. Whether Musk willingly steps back or remains a disruptive force from the sidelines, one thing is clear: his days as an official player in Trump’s second term are numbered.