The dialogue between Elon Musk and Donald Trump appears to be over. At least the closest one. The Doge division, which the billionaire heads, is wrapping up its work.
Elon Musk is expected to return to his daily work as a leader at Tesla, possibly as early as May.
His current role as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (Doge) is thus coming to an end.
Elon Musk has been serving in the US administration for an agreed period of 130 days. US President Donald Trump has commented on the situation.
"Elon has a company to run, and one day he would like to return to it," Donald Trump said on Monday, according to Politico.
The position of advisor to the president and head of the Doge is set to expire at the end of May.
Elon Musk has done a good job, says Donald Trump
Previous statements from Donald Trump could indicate a desire for a longer-term collaboration, but the latest announcement indicates acceptance of the agreed timeframe.
"I think he's great. But at some point he's going to have to go back to his company, but I want to keep him as long as possible," says Donald Trump.
Elon Musk himself has confirmed in an interview with Fox News that his involvement with Doge is limited in time. The contract as a special government employee is for 130 days, and there are many indications that that schedule will hold.
"I think we will have done most of the work required to reduce the deficit by a trillion dollars within that timeframe," Musk told Fox News .
Meanwhile, Tesla is facing challenges in the market, with the company's sales figures showing a downward trend in most global markets.
The exceptions appear to be China and Norway, where consumer interest remains strong. Tesla's first-quarter 2025 sales report is due soon, and stock market analysts are predicting a decline in global sales.
The actions taken by Elon Musk in his role as leader of Doge have generated debate.
He has carried out layoffs of a significant number of public employees, including within the government assistance program USAID and the Ministry of Health.
According to Elon Musk, the purpose is savings in public spending. Critics, however, point to the human consequences.
Calculations estimate that the US aid program, which has been affected by cuts, helps save around nine million lives annually in poor countries.
However, that criticism has not changed the course of Elon Musk or Donald Trump. Trump is apparently preparing the public for Musk's departure:
"There will come a time when the regular White House staff can handle these tasks and Elon can return to his own," says Donald Trump.
