Elon Musk, a long-time supporter of Donald Trump, might be departing his current position within the administration sooner than many anticipated.
Donald Trump has reportedly informed his close associates, including cabinet members, that his ‘first bro’ Elon Musk could be stepping down from his duties.
This development does not seem to stem from any dissatisfaction Trump has with Musk’s work; both men appear to be on good terms.
Trump has expressed satisfaction with Musk’s contributions to the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) over recent months.
Nevertheless, both Musk and Trump have agreed that it may soon be time for Musk to return to his various business ventures and assume a more supportive role to the president.
In recent days, Musk has faced public scrutiny from stakeholders in his businesses due to his divided attention.
Ross Gerber, an early Tesla investor, recently urged Musk to be replaced as CEO of Tesla, citing his insufficient focus on the company as a cause for concern.
In an interview with Sky News, Gerber stated: “The company’s reputation has just been destroyed by Elon Musk.”
“Sales are plummeting so, yeah, it’s a crisis. You literally can’t sell the best product in the marketplace because the CEO is so divisive.”
“It’s time for somebody to run Tesla. The business has been neglected for too long.”
Despite the concern over Musk’s role in Tesla, it appears his position in the government was never intended to be permanent.
Many believed Musk was the driving force behind DOGE, but reports from the White House indicate he served merely as a senior advisor to the president without decision-making authority.
“Elon, I want to thank you — I know you’ve been through a lot,” Trump remarked during a speech, acknowledging the challenges Musk faced, including threats and vandalism targeting Tesla vehicles.
Hints about an impending transition surfaced when Fox News’ Bret Baier asked Musk on March 27 if he would be ready to depart once his government role concluded.
Musk responded: “I think we will have accomplished most of the work required to reduce the deficit by $1 trillion within that time frame.”
On April 1, Trump mentioned to reporters that ‘at some point Elon’s going to want to go back to his company’.
Trump added that while the SpaceX founder ‘wants to’ return to his business, he would keep Musk in his current role ‘as long as I could keep him.’
While Musk’s departure might feel bittersweet for both parties, it seems to be an amicable decision.
White House spokesperson Harrison Fields stated: “As the President said, this White House would love to keep Elon around for as long as possible.”
“Elon has been instrumental in executing the President’s agenda, and will continue this good work until the President says otherwise.”
This conclusion likely marks the end of an era, but not necessarily the end of their friendship or potential future collaborations.