Elon Musk considers leaving US government amid harsh criticism from the left

Billionaire Elon Musk is considering resigning from his position in the US government because he believes he is constantly being subjected to “cruel and unethical attacks” from the left, according to the Washington Post.

Recent reports suggest that Elon Musk may soon leave his government role due to continued criticism. Photo: AFP.
Elon Musk currently serves as the head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), as a special government employee. However, the position is set to expire at the end of next month, and it is unclear when he will officially step down.

Sources close to the matter told the Washington Post on April 21 that Musk believes DOGE will continue to operate effectively even after he leaves, as the team is already established and evenly distributed across multiple federal agencies.

However, speculation about Musk’s possible exit has become more pronounced amid his seemingly waning influence in government.

Last week, The New York Times reported that the acting commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) was replaced after Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent complained that Musk had installed his own people in the position without his approval. Several other cabinet members have also expressed frustration with Musk over the uncoordinated cost-cutting measures.

Meanwhile, analyst Dan Ives from Wedbush Securities said Musk should withdraw from politics and return to focus all his efforts on Tesla, as the company is facing a “red alert”.

“Elon Musk needs to leave government, put DOGE on hold, and return to being Tesla’s full-time CEO,” Ives wrote in a note to clients. “Tesla is Musk and Musk is Tesla… Anyone who thinks the damage Musk has done to his brand is insignificant should talk to customers in the US, Europe, and Asia. You will see a different picture.”

Mr. Ives warned that Tesla is becoming a political symbol associated with the Trump administration and DOGE, which could permanently reduce demand for Tesla cars by 15% to 20% in the future.

Another detail revealed by the Washington Post is that Musk once required federal employees to send a weekly email listing five things they had done. He warned that failure to send an email would be considered a “voluntary resignation.” However, just two days after the regulation was issued (February 22), the Federal Office of Personnel Management issued a statement saying that participation was completely voluntary and not sending an email did not mean resignation.

Federal agencies now have different policies: some have stopped asking for emails, while others keep them but don’t check them, or treat them as a formality. Many employees say they treat the practice as a joke, sending the same messages every week.