Kathmandu: Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk has announced the end of his tenure leading former President Donald Trump’s cost-cutting task force, officially known as the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). In a post on his platform X, Musk expressed gratitude to Trump for the opportunity, marking a notable departure from his role as a "special government employee."

Musk had been serving in a limited-capacity federal role, which legally allowed him to work up to 130 days per year. With the count starting from Trump’s inauguration on January 20, Musk was expected to reach that cap by the end of May, prompting the conclusion of his official involvement.

His exit follows recent public criticism of Trump’s signature budget legislation, referred to by the former president as his "big, beautiful" budget bill. Musk’s disapproval of the bill is believed to have strained his relationship with the Trump administration, despite their previous alignment on several cost-cutting initiatives.

The DOGE initiative, which Musk helped spearhead, was aimed at improving efficiency and reducing waste across federal agencies. While the project drew both praise and skepticism, Musk's involvement had added a high-profile, tech-savvy edge to the government reform effort.

It remains to be seen whether Musk will continue to advise Trump or play a role in any future political endeavors.