Musk receives praise and a round of applause from Trump's cabinet as he begins his departure from the government

Elon Musk officially started his process of disengagement from the federal government, initiating his agreed exit after several months at the head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). His role, framed under the figure of "special government employee"—a category created by Congress in 1962 for one-time, short-term hires - will formally end at the end of May.

During a Cabinet meeting Wednesday, Musk, who appeared with two overlapping caps that generated all kinds of comments on social networks, was praised by President Donald Trump and applauded by all the members of the Administration's top brass, with whom the tycoon had some conflicts in recent months.

"You have been treated unfairly," Trump told Musk during the meeting.  "But the vast majority of people in this country really respect and appreciate you. And this whole room can say that very strongly. It's really been a tremendous help. You opened up a lot of eyes as to what could be done. And we just want to thank you very much."

"You're invited to stay as long as you want," Trump continued as Cabinet members erupted in cheers for Musk. "At some point, I guess he wants to get back home to his cars and his family."

Trump's remarks come weeks after Musk announced a reduction in his work hours for DOGE.

The tycoon raised many questions among the progressive press and critics of President Trump for leading the DOGE initiative, a department created to reduce bureaucracy and excessive government spending.

His role within the Trump Administration provoked not only criticism against Musk but also against his own companies, including Tesla, which suffered vandalism attacks and a reduction in profits during the first quarter of 2025.

According to the Office of Government Ethics, special employees, such as Musk, can work for the federal government for "no more than 130 days in a 365-day period."  In the case of the Tesla-owning CEO, his contract ends on May 30.

During the Cabinet meeting, Musk praised the work of DOGE employees and said the initiative already saved the United States $160 billion through reduced government spending.

"The American people voted for secure borders, safe cities, and sensible spending," Musk said. "And that's what they've gotten. A tremendous amount has been accomplished in the first hundred days. As everyone has said, it's more than has been accomplished in any administration before. Ever. Period. So, this portends very well for what happens for the rest of the administration. I think this could be the greatest administration since the founding of the country."