White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt quickly responded on Wednesday after Politico published a lengthy report claiming that Elon Musk is leaving the Trump administration due to internal frustrations. Leavitt criticized the article, calling it “garbage” and dismissing it as another instance of misleading coverage by Beltway media.
Politico Capitol Bureau Chief & Senior Washington Columnist, Rachel Bade, tweeted Wednesday, “SCOOP: Pres Trump has told his inner circle & members of his Cabinet that @elonmusk will be stepping back in the coming weeks from his current role.” The press secretary responded bluntly: “This ‘scoop’ is garbage. Elon Musk and President Trump have both publicly stated that Elon will depart from public service as a special government employee when his incredible work at DOGE is complete.”
This “scoop” is garbage.
Elon Musk and President Trump have both *publicly* stated that Elon will depart from public service as a special government employee when his incredible work at DOGE is complete. https://t.co/Brppff6SKi
— Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) April 2, 2025
The report from Politico’s Bade suggested that Musk’s “looming exit” was driven by increasing concerns within the administration about his unpredictable behavior, controversial public statements, and unscripted policymaking. Citing anonymous sources, the article claimed that Trump officials saw Musk as a “political liability” and that his departure was part of a subtle effort by the president to distance himself from him.
However, Leavitt’s strong rebuttal directly contradicted the narrative. She highlighted the clear and transparent timeline that both Musk and Trump had outlined regarding the billionaire’s temporary government role with DOGE—the Department of Government Efficiency—a key Trump initiative aimed at reducing federal waste and saving taxpayers billions.
The Politico article, while acknowledging that Trump has consistently praised Musk, tried to depict increasing discomfort behind the scenes. It pointed to a Wisconsin Supreme Court race loss by a Musk-backed candidate and previous communication issues as indications that the relationship had become strained. But Trump also backed Judge Brad Schimel, the conservative choice who lost to a liberal Democratic judge.
Also, Musk has claimed that DOGE is expected to reduce the federal deficit by over $1 trillion—an astonishing figure that even critics find hard to ignore. Trump and Musk have remained publicly aligned, with Trump just days ago calling Musk “a patriot” and “a friend of mine” during a cabinet meeting. Even as he acknowledged that Musk would eventually return to his private ventures, Trump stressed his desire to keep him around “as long as possible.”
