Elon Musk has stepped down from his role as head of the Department of Government Efficiency, marking a dramatic end to one of the most unconventional chapters in recent White House history. 

Appointed by President Trump as a Special Government Employee, Musk’s mission was to slash waste and streamline federal operations through aggressive cost-cutting and structural overhauls.

Though he claimed $160 billion in savings, critics allege mismanagement, inflated figures, and wide-reaching consequences for public services. 

His departure follows public opposition to Trump’s sweeping “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” signaling a clear policy rift between the two once-aligned figures.

What drove Musk to break ranks with the administration now? How does he reflect on the legacy of DOGE, and what does this mean for his return to the private sector? Most importantly, where does his political influence go from here?

On The Big Story, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Kevin Chen, Associate Research Fellow with the US Programme at the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Nanyang Technological University, to find out more.