Trump's cabinet ready to reassert power as Musk steps back

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Elon Musk announced he will scale back his role with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a federal agency he has helmed since its creation by executive order on President Trump’s first day in office. Musk will now commit just one or two days per week to DOGE in order to focus on Tesla, raising questions about the future direction of the controversial agency.

As a special government employee, Musk's role was already set to expire at the end of May. Still, his influence has been central to DOGE’s mission: shrinking the federal workforce, slashing the deficit, and cutting public services through mass layoffs and contract cancellations. His efforts, while aligned with Trump’s cost-cutting agenda, have drawn sharp backlash from federal staff and Cabinet officials who view DOGE as overstepping traditional agency authority.

Tensions within the administration have flared. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy recently clashed with Musk over his push for cuts that could affect foreign aid and aviation safety. Cabinet members have reportedly lobbied for more control over spending decisions, a shift likely to accelerate now that Musk is stepping back.

Going forward, Cabinet secretaries will have greater autonomy over budget cuts without requiring Musk’s sign-off. This shift also raises uncertainty for the group of young engineers Musk installed across federal agencies, whose roles and influence may now be reassessed.

White House spokesperson Harrison Fields denied any major change, insisting DOGE is "on cruise control" and continuing to execute the President’s agenda smoothly. Experts like law professor Nick Bednar echoed that the agency's momentum will persist, saying “there’s a train that’s left the station.”

Musk has played an outsized role in the agency's early months, installing loyalists across the government and instituting controversial practices like mandatory weekly productivity reports. But he now claims the groundwork is “mostly done.”

As DOGE prepares for leadership changes, one possible successor is Amy Gleason, currently listed in court filings as acting administrator. The ambiguity around Musk’s exact role—downplayed in official filings but emphasized by Trump—underscores the uncertainty ahead.

Despite Musk’s reduced presence, watchdogs like Tom Schatz suggest DOGE may actually become more effective without its most polarizing figure at the forefront.

“Elon Musk is a lightning rod,” Schatz said. “With him stepping back, there may be less noise—and more action.”