Trump without Musk
The separation of Musk from Trump happened much sooner than expected! Some political analysts in the U.S. considered Elon Musk’s presence in the White House temporary, while others saw him as the driving force behind the new generation of Republicans and independent voters — someone Trump should have kept until the end of his administration.
Billionaire Elon Musk left the Trump administration after criticizing the government’s large budget bill. However, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), established to restructure the federal government, will remain in place. Without Musk, this office may shift from an effective institution to a minimal and ceremonial organization. Some of Musk’s administrative and economic reforms have sparked controversy in the U.S. and even displeased senior economic officials.
Musk wrote on X (formerly Twitter), which he owns: “As my time as a special government employee comes to an end, I thank President Trump for the opportunity to reduce wasteful spending. The mission of the DOGE will gradually be strengthened and become a way of life across the government.”
Sources in the U.S. say that this time Trump did not attempt to keep Musk in his administration, and Musk’s early resignation reflects months of behind-the-scenes friction between him and Trump. Reuters reported, citing White House officials, that the decision for Musk to leave was made at the “senior official” level, and there was no discussion between Musk and Trump before the announcement.
This phenomenon can be called a "Republican coup against Musk." Increasing criticism over Musk’s interventionism and excessive authority led Trump to choose “minimal government cohesion” over “keeping Musk,” even though the president understands this decision will have consequences for him.
From now on, Musk can no longer be called the disconnected brain of the Trump administration. Certainly, he will not cooperate with the current U.S. president from a lower political and economic position. Perhaps if Trump had the power to run again in the 2028 presidential election, he would not have accepted this decision — but that is no longer relevant to him.
The Department of Government Efficiency has faced harsh criticism for its approach to cutting government spending. Musk has previously said that after finishing his government work, he would return to focus on his economic ventures, such as Tesla electric cars and SpaceX rockets. Surely, Musk will receive guarantees from the federal government and Trump himself to continue and accelerate his business activities.