Source: BBC Chinese Web
Tesla CEO Elon Musk said he will step down from the team in Trump's administration working to cut costs - the Department of Government Efficiency (Doge).
White House officials, including the President, have indicated that Musk's impending departure was always planned. However, this news came out as the billionaire's car business reported a sharp drop in earnings.
Musk's announcement has left many questions unanswered, including when he will truly leave his government position and what the future holds for the Department of Government Efficiency.
In an interview with the BBC on Wednesday, U.S. President Trump emphasized that the administration is preparing for Musk's departure.
"We must let him go and do this at some point. We originally expected it around this time. I will talk to Elon about this," Trump said at the White House.
Trump also stated that Tesla would be "taken care of" once Musk returns, claiming that Musk has been subject to "very unfair public treatment."
"He is a great patriot, and this should not happen to him," Trump added.
However, according to government regulations, if Musk reduces his workdays at "Doge," his service period in the government might actually be extended.
Musk was designated as a "special government employee" (SGE) — a status that allows him to serve annually in paid or unpaid positions for up to 130 days.
According to a 2007 U.S. Department of Justice memo (cited by the Office of Government Ethics in a guidance document released in October 2024), as long as a "special government employee" participates in any government work on a given day, that day counts toward the 130-day limit.
Starting from Trump's inauguration on January 20, assuming Musk works on weekends and approximately five days a week at the Department of Government Efficiency, the 130-day limit would expire in late May.
However, if he reduces his attendance, the 130-day limit will be postponed. Additionally, the 130-day limit will be recalculated in January 2026.
On March 29, 2025, protesters demonstrated outside a Tesla showroom in Washington, D.C. A man held a sign with the Tesla logo and a downward arrow. Image source, Getty Images.
Musk has yet to reveal his schedule. Before announcing related news on Tuesday, Tesla reported financial difficulties, with profits falling by 71%.
This decline is linked to "Tesla Takedown" protests worldwide, where protesters called for boycotting Tesla due to Musk's role in the government. Although organizers claim most protests were peaceful, there were destructive incidents, including arson at Tesla showrooms or charging stations.
The company warned investors that the pain may continue, refusing to provide growth forecasts, and stating that "political sentiment changes" could significantly impact car demand.
Telling investors on the earnings call, Musk said his time allocated to the Department of Government Efficiency "will be greatly reduced," and he will "allocate more time to Tesla." After the comment, Tesla's struggling stock price rebounded.
It remains unclear how many days Musk has already worked for the government, whether the government has kept track of this, and how the restriction is enforced.
Outside criticism of the Trump administration creating an unprecedented role for Musk suggests potential violations of government rules and concerns that he may not adhere to time limits.
According to the "special government employee" regulations, Musk must undergo ethics training, submit confidential financial disclosure statements, and avoid conflicts of interest.
His corporate empire includes large companies doing business with the U.S. government and foreign governments, such as SpaceX having $22 billion worth of U.S. government contracts.
The rules also prohibit special government employees from participating in partisan activities, including wearing clothing with political slogans in government offices or while performing official duties. Musk was photographed in the Oval Office wearing a "Make America Great Again" hat.
Nevertheless, an anonymous White House official told CBS News (BBC's American partner) in February that Musk will eventually submit confidential financial disclosures and has undergone ethics briefings.
In March, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told the BBC, "Elon Musk selflessly serves President Trump's administration as a special government employee, adhering to all applicable federal laws."
Currently, it seems that Musk serves at Trump's request, with no clear oversight other than the President himself.
In a report released last week, the progressive think tank Public Citizen criticized the Trump administration and stated that the White House "arbitrarily abuses" the special government employee rule.
Report author Jon Golinger stated, "Currently, special government employees like Musk are not required to submit public financial disclosures or even allowed to self-supervise; the public cannot know whether they place the people's interests above their own."
BBC has contacted Musk and the Office of Personnel Management, which oversees special government employees, for responses. It was also reported that employees of the Department of Government Efficiency have taken over several functions of the Office of Personnel Management.
On Thursday, The Wall Street Journal reported that after Musk's departure later this year, about 100 employees from the Department of Government Efficiency will remain in various government departments.
Musk and Trump set a deadline for the Department of Government Efficiency to complete its work, coinciding with the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Trump mentioned in his January inauguration executive order establishing the Department of Government Efficiency that the end date would be July 4, 2026.
Earlier, in December of last year, Musk responded to a tweet stating that the Department of Government Efficiency would be fully dissolved on that date.
"The final step of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is to delete itself," he wrote.
Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7497451608872092223/
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