Politico: Musk to soon leave Trump administration

(Patria) - Elon Musk may soon withdraw from his central role in the administration of US President Donald Trump, writes Politico, citing three senior Trump associates who spoke on condition of anonymity.

According to them, Trump has already informed his cabinet and closest circle of associates that Musk will return to his business empire in the coming weeks and take on an advisory rather than an operational role.

Although Trump still values Musk and his Office of Government Efficiency (DOGE), both have reportedly agreed in recent days that it is time for a change.

This decision comes at a time when more and more people inside and outside the administration are expressing frustration with Musk's unpredictability, Politico writes.

A particular blow to Musk's influence came two days ago when the US conservative candidate for the Wisconsin Supreme Court - whom Musk publicly and financially supported - lost the election by ten percentage points. Democrats immediately declared it a referendum on Musk, Politico states.

Musk, it should be recalled, was formally appointed a special government employee, which allowed him to work temporarily in the White House without being subject to conflict of interest laws.

This status lasts for 130 days and expires at the end of May or the beginning of June, and his transition could occur around that time.

Despite this, Trump's closest associates do not believe Musk will completely disappear from the president's orbit. One source says that "anyone who thinks Musk will disappear is mistaken," while another believes he will continue to have an advisory role and occasionally appear at the White House.

Musk has repeatedly clashed with ministers and agency heads over his approach to cutting bureaucracy like "a bull in a china shop".

His uncoordinated outbursts on X, including unrealized proposals to shut down agencies and implement urgent reforms, regularly caused panic within the administration.

After Trump announced at a cabinet meeting on March 24 that Musk would soon leave his operational role, according to Politico insiders, cameras were allowed in.

And the president told reporters: "Elon, thank you - I know you've been through a lot" and mentioned death threats and attacks on Tesla showrooms, calling him a patriot and a friend.

When asked by Fox News reporter Bret Baier if he would leave when his term expires, Musk said: "I think we will have reduced the deficit by a trillion dollars by then."

White House spokesperson Harrison Fields said the White House wants to keep Musk as long as possible and that he is crucial in implementing the president's agenda.

However, according to Politico, many around Trump have secretly breathed a sigh of relief at his withdrawal, hoping for an end to a series of controversial incidents related to DOGE - from improvised emails requesting performance reports from all civil servants, to unintentional cuts in Ebola prevention programs.

In addition to all of the above, some advisors increasingly see Musk as a political liability, who has become a point of mobilization for Democrats. Politico also recalls the statement of a cabinet member: "Musk is a genius, but we no longer know who he is actually accountable to - the president, himself, or the X algorithm".

Trump, at least for now, does not yet show signs of completely abandoning him.

- I would keep him as long as I could - he told reporters the night before last.