Musk quits US govt role

Washington: Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk announced his departure from his role as a top adviser to US President Donald Trump, ending his brief but high-profile tenure as a Special Government Employee tasked with reducing federal bureaucracy.

Musk’s exit comes amid growing Republican divisions over Trump’s controversial spending bill and mounting criticism of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which Musk led.

A day before his announcement, Musk publicly criticised Trump's "big beautiful bill”, which includes sweeping tax relief and government spending cuts. “It can be big or beautiful, but not both,” he said in an interview with CBS.

Meanwhile, a White House official, speaking anonymously, confirmed Musk’s departure from the advisory role.

“I sympathise with Elon being discouraged,” said Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI), adding there’s likely enough Republican opposition to stall the bill unless fiscal concerns are taken seriously. Responding to critics, Trump said, “I’m not happy about certain aspects of it, but I’m thrilled by other aspects of it… It’s got a way to go,” defending the measure as a product of compromise.