TLDR:
- Exit Confirmed: Elon Musk has officially stepped down from his role as an unpaid senior advisor in President Donald Trump’s administration after 130 days, marking the end of his controversial tenure with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
- Platform Challenges: Amidst this political shift, recent issues with X’s Creator Revenue Sharing Program highlight ongoing vulnerabilities, despite updates aimed at fortifying the platform.
Elon Musk’s official departure from the U.S. government on May 29, 2025, marks the conclusion of a tumultuous 130-day stint as an unpaid senior advisor in President Donald Trump’s administration, specifically within the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). This exit, confirmed by the White House, signifies the end of a chapter filled with ambition, controversy, and significant policy shifts, while also shedding light on the persistent challenges facing Musk’s social media platform, X.
Musk’s role in DOGE, established shortly after Trump’s re-election in late 2024, was to lead a mission to combat waste and fraud within the federal government alongside Vivek Ramaswamy. The initial goal was to cut $1 trillion in public spending, achieving a modest $160 billion in savings. Under Musk’s influence, over 60,000 federal employees were laid off, 76,000 were forced into early retirement, and an additional 150,000 positions are slated for elimination. International aid for food and healthcare was also severely reduced. However, DOGE’s aggressive reforms faced fierce opposition, including union protests, federal court rulings, and increasing pressure from legislators. Musk acknowledged the backlash in a Washington Post interview, admitting that DOGE had become a focal point of criticism and that he did not wish to be further entangled in uncontrollable political dynamics.
The rift between Musk and Trump widened following Musk’s public criticism of the “One Big, Beautiful Bill Act,” a 1,100-page legislative proposal passed by the House with a narrow 215-214 vote. This bill included tax reforms, welfare cuts, and over $150 billion in defense spending, but the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) projected it would increase the budget deficit by $3.8 trillion by 2034. Musk, in a CBS News interview on May 27, expressed his dismay, stating, “This bill doesn’t cut the deficit; it increases it, undermining what DOGE is trying to achieve.” His sarcastic remark that a bill could be big or beautiful but not both was seen as the final straw leading to his departure, despite his polite farewell on X.
The transformation of Musk from one of the major financiers of Trump to a former advisor is intriguing. Before heading for his government post, he was among the largest financiers of Trump for the 2024 race, donating money through the super PAC America PAC, up to $45 million a month. He had vowed to spend one or two days a week on the performance of the government, if useful. By April’s end, Musk had hinted at his departure in order to focus on companies such as Tesla, SpaceX, Boring Company, and X. With his departure, the stock in Tesla rose, reflecting the expectation of investors for Musk’s return as a tech tycoon rather than a politician.
Concurrently, X’s Creator Revenue Sharing Program has also been subjected to tests in the recent past, raising serious issues for the platform itself. Despite its updating for the purposes of building a fortified program, there are indications of vulnerabilities for the program’s integrity. These issues indicate the need for continued firm defense in protecting X from probable manipulations in order for it to remain in a stance capable of maintaining user confidence and business stability. With Musk’s withdrawal from politics, the focus shifts to such solutions for the platform, with a focus on continued fine-tuning in the face of arising threats.
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