Tesla owner, Elon Musk, has dismissed reports that he is set to leave his government role in the United States in the coming months, calling them “fake news.”
The claim followed reports that Donald Trump had discussed Musk’s departure from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), during a cabinet meeting last month.
A senior White House official told NBC News, Sky’s US partner network, that the Tesla and X boss was expected to return to the private sector.
However, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt dismissed the reports, calling them “garbage.” She stated, “Elon Musk and President Trump have both publicly stated that Elon will depart from public service as a special government employee when his incredible work at DOGE is complete.”
Musk himself responded on X, writing, “Yeah, fake news.”
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NBC News reported that the official had said Musk’s departure was expected at the end of his 130-day term as a special government employee, which would be 30 May. However, it remains unclear whether he will step down on that date.
The White House has previously stated that the DOGE is a temporary organisation and will be terminated on 4 July next year, marking the 250th anniversary of the United States.
The reports come just days after Musk revealed that some members of his DOGE team were receiving death threats on a daily basis.
Musk has faced significant criticism over his aggressive downsizing of the US federal government.
In just weeks, entire agencies have been dismantled, and tens of thousands of federal workers have been either fired or voluntarily left their jobs. The drastic cuts recommended by DOGE have also led to multiple lawsuits being filed in state and federal courts.
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