Republican lawmakers are pressing for answers from President Donald Trump after conflicting reports emerged about Elon Musk’s impending exit from his role leading the Department of Government Efficiency, according to the Daily Mail.
Confusion is mounting on Capitol Hill over Elon Musk’s tenure with the Trump administration following reports that the billionaire tech mogul could soon step down from his government role.
President Donald Trump reportedly informed top officials that Musk will be returning to the private sector, Politico revealed.
The move would mark the end of Musk’s leadership of DOGE, a position he has held as a special government employee. The role comes with strict service limits, typically capping at 130 days, which sources say Musk is expected to reach by May 30.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt dismissed the Politico report as “garbage” and maintained that Musk was always intended to “depart from public service” once his “incredible work at DOGE is complete.” However, Republican lawmakers appear uncertain about the details surrounding Musk’s timeline or whether he might continue in some other capacity.
“Yeah, I don’t know that he’s going to leave totally,” House Republican Conference Chair Lisa McClain, R-Mich., told DailyMail.com. “I’ve heard mixed on this so, and I haven’t heard anything from the horse’s mouth, so to speak.”
McClain speculated that specific regulations might govern Musk’s stay within the administration. “I’ve heard everything from as a special appointee to the president, you’re only allowed to stay X number of days,” she added. “I’m just giving you speculation.”
Despite the uncertainty, Musk dismissed the Politico report as “fake news.”
Sen. Tom Tillis, R-N.C., also weighed in, suggesting Musk’s involvement was always seen as temporary.
“I think it was Musk who even said he was here on the front end [that he] wasn’t going to be here for a long time,” Tillis told DailyMail.com. “I don’t think anybody thought he’d be here for four years.”
“I think that there’s always a place for people pushing change, but at the end of the day, you have to institutionalize these efficiency measures in the agencies themselves,” he added.
Investors reacted positively to the possibility of Musk’s return to the business world. Following news of his expected departure, Tesla stock rose more than 5%. The company has recently faced protests, vandalism, and internal unrest tied to Musk’s controversial cost-cutting efforts at DOGE.
His leadership at DOGE has been polarizing. While praised by some for streamlining government operations, Musk has also drawn backlash for slashing tens of thousands of federal jobs.
Further complicating the narrative, Musk suffered a political setback Tuesday when Wisconsin Republican Supreme Court candidate Brad Schimel lost to Democrat Susan Crawford by 10 points, despite Musk pouring more than $20 million into the race.
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