It looks like Elon Musk isn’t done with Washington just yet. According to U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance, Musk will continue to play a key role behind the scenes even after he wraps up his current government position.
Musk, who’s been heading up the Department of Government Efficiency (known as DOGE) since being brought in by President Donald Trump, is expected to finish his formal duties by the end of May. After that, he’ll return to his usual focus on Tesla, SpaceX, and his other companies. Still, Vance says Musk will remain a close “friend and adviser” to both him and the president moving forward.
DOGE itself isn’t going anywhere—it was created by a Trump executive order and will stay in operation until at least 2026. The department’s mission is a big one: cut down the size and cost of the federal government. Musk was brought on to help shake things up and streamline federal operations.
Earlier this week, rumors started swirling that Musk was already stepping away from the job. He quickly shot those down on social media, calling the reports “fake news.” The White House backed him up, with spokesperson Karoline Leavitt calling the claims “garbage” and confirming that Musk won’t be leaving until his work with DOGE is officially done.
During a Fox News interview on Thursday, Vice President Vance echoed those comments, also calling the rumors “total fake news.” He explained that Musk originally signed on for a six-month effort to cut government bloat and improve efficiency. “We told Elon, ‘We need you to shrink this massive bureaucracy that wastes taxpayer money and slows everything down.’ That’s exactly what he’s been doing,” Vance said.
Even after Musk’s term ends, Vance made it clear that the billionaire won’t be far away. “Elon will still be advising us—his work is far from over,” he added.
Since DOGE got underway, its impact has already been felt. In March 2025, U.S. employers reported more than 275,000 job cuts—the highest monthly number since the pandemic. Nearly 80% of those layoffs came from the federal government as part of DOGE’s aggressive cost-cutting efforts. The goal? Trim a full $1 trillion from federal spending by July 2026.
So while Musk might soon be stepping away from his official government role, it’s clear he’ll still have a hand in shaping how things run in Washington—at least for the foreseeable future.
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So while Musk might soon be stepping away from his official government role, it’s clear he’ll still have a hand in shaping how things run in Washington—at least for the foreseeable future.