Donald Trump breaks silence on Elon Musk quitting DOGE after leaving him one final message

President Donald Trump has finally responded after Elon Musk officially resigned from his position in the government, stepping down a few days earlier than expected. Musk, who had taken on a unique role as a “special government employee,” was only supposed to serve a limited number of days per year—130 to be exact. But his early exit and recent criticism of Trump’s latest government spending plan drew a lot of attention.

The two were once seen as extremely close during Trump’s return to the White House, with Musk even leading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). However, behind the scenes, their bond had reportedly become strained. Many had been expecting Musk’s departure, but the timing—just one day after he openly disagreed with Trump’s massive budget proposal—raised eyebrows.

In a preview clip aired on CBS, Musk didn’t hold back. He said he was disappointed by the huge spending bill that Trump was pushing, saying it would make the national deficit worse and work against everything the DOGE department was trying to improve. Musk sarcastically added that a bill could be “big” or “beautiful,” but probably not both, making it clear he didn’t agree with the direction things were heading.

The bill in question includes a large increase in defense spending and proposes the creation of a “Golden Dome,” a high-tech missile defense system to protect the U.S. It also includes massive tax cuts totaling in the trillions. But Musk felt that the bill totally undermined the goals of his department, especially since it could end up raising government spending by $600 billion in the next year.

Despite the disagreement, Trump took to Truth Social to share a message that appeared warm and grateful. He announced he would be holding a press conference with Musk at the White House the next day and praised him, saying: “Elon is terrific.” Trump added that even though this would be Musk’s final day in his official role, he would always remain a part of the movement and continue to support them.

While it’s unclear exactly what Musk’s next move will be, it’s obvious that his departure is making waves both in politics and business. Trump’s upcoming press conference may offer more answers, but for now, it’s the end of an unusual but highly public partnership between the billionaire tech mogul and the president.