Elon Musk says he’ll step back from DOGE starting in May

Elon Musk says he plans to step back from his work at the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, starting in May.

In a Tesla earnings call, Musk said next month he would continue to “spend a day or two” each week on DOGE matters “probably for the remainder of the president’s term,” but would spend the bulk of his time focused on his electric car company.

“Starting next month, I’ll be allocating far more of my time to Tesla, now that the major work of establishing the Department of Government Efficiency is done,” Musk said. He’d continue to support DOGE “for as long as the President would like me to do so, and as long as it is useful.”

Musk’s status as head of DOGE has come increasingly under scrutiny, with Tesla investors begging him to step down from the controversial project and focus more attention on Tesla, which is undergoing a major sales slump.

As a special advisor to the Trump administration, Musk was limited to just 130 days under the designation. Rumors had been growing that he would leave the White House as his “influence appears to be waning,” according to The Washington Post.

Update, April 23rd: Added mention of Musk expecting to continue his government work through the end of Trump’s term.