In 130 days as a special government employee, the world’s wealthiest man has passed through federal agencies, fired government officials and gained access to data that underpinned the federal government’s dismantling.
Elon Musk’s role in the Trump administration has no modern precedent. Let’s take a look at the key moments of the short tenure that Musk had as a federal employee.
January 20thThe inauguration ceremony and infamous salute
Because he’s inaugurated, Musk is on Trump’s side, just like other tech billionaires hosts. He also gives out two apparent fascist-style salutes on stage at the inauguration celebration.
January 20thDoge is created
The president issues an executive order creating “government efficiency” for masks by renaming it to the US digital services agency that previously dealt with government technical issues. Trump’s orders include only a vague mission to modernize government technology and improve efficiency, but within days it will become clear that Musk and his team have a much broader purpose.
January and FebruaryDoge is moving across the government
Musk and Doge jump out into the offices of numerous government agencies, starting with the general agency, asking questions to federal government employees and collecting data and access to government systems.
January 28thLots of layoffs, “road forks” and shopping begins
The early days of Doge target a large number of government workers with layoffs and make headlines to force others to resign. An email asks, “What did you achieve this week?” When it came to Musk and his new bureau signing, they were sent over and over whenever staff began to prey on new herds of government officials.
Early FebruaryUSAID does its best and workers endure musk
When Doge staff is attacked by the US International Development Agency (USAID) in early February, they are hanging out into fierce standoffs with security personnel who are trying to bar access to secure rooms that hold sensitive and sensitive data. The conflict ends with USAID’s biggest security officer taking administrative leave, but Doge gains access to the system. With no one can stop them, Doge staff begins the process of screaming for an agency that was once the world’s largest humanitarian supplier. More than 5,600 USAID workers worldwide will be fired in the next few weeks.
“We spent the weekend feeding USAID to Wood Chipper,” Musk boasts on his social media platform, X, a few days later.
February 3rdMusk says he will remove the government’s major software creators
Musk tells X’s right-wing influencers that the GSA’s 18F office, which helped build software projects such as the IRS’ free tax return service, has been “deleted” in response to accusing them of being a radical leftist.
February 13thMask says the agency needs to be “delete”
“We need to remove the entire agency,” Musk tells attendees at the World Government Summit in Dubai. “If we don’t remove the weed roots, the weeds will come back and it’s easy.”
February 13thProbationary workers are fired
The Trump administration orders agencies to fire thousands of probation workers. This is a designation that applies to employees who have been working for less than a year, including those who may have recently been promoted. Other workers will soon receive emails from Doge, asking them to list the five things they went to last week, or face the end. This is a confusing request that turns out to be an air threat. Cabinet officials personally consider it meaningless.
February 15thProtesters are targeting Tesla
The “Tesla Takedown” protests and boycotts begin to take off, targeting masked car companies in protests at dealers. The protests on this date in New York City in the showroom have solid voter turnout.
February 23rdMusk gloats at conservative meetings
At the Conservative Political Action Council (CPAC), the mask stands on stage with a black magazine hat, sunglasses and a gold chain, with right-wing Argentine president Javier Miley happily waving around the chainsaw he’s given to him.
“This chainsaw is for bureaucracy!” he says. “I became a meme.”
March 1st18th floor worker has been fired
In the middle of the night, workers on the 18th floor are notified that they will be fired in large quantities.
Early MarchCourts start blocking some Doge actions
The lawsuit filed earlier in Trump’s term begins to develop a ruling that cuts Doge’s layoffs and temporarily blocks access to data. The judge decides it is necessary to revive probation workers fired by the Trump administration, restricting access to the databases of agencies such as the Social Security Agency, and orders mask teams to take over internal records they were trying to keep private.
Mid MarchThe health department was cut
The Department of Health and Human Services has announced that it will cut 10,000 jobs in line with Trump’s executive order on Doge. In a Doge-inspired Chaos exhibit, US Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr. admits that around 2,000 of those workers were mistakenly fired and needed to be resurrected a few weeks later.
Mid MarchThe White House tries to save Tesla’s reputation
Tesla’s protests are working – stocks are declining. In response, Trump appears in the White House driveway in front of several parked Teslas and tells reporters that he will buy one of them and praise Musk as a “patriot.” Others on Trump’s orbit, including Fox News host Sean Hannity, also have sales posts from the automaker.
March 20thMusk attacks the court when they try to curb administrative actions
Musk’s response to the court’s ruling against Trump is a constant stream of attacks on X’s judicial system, including demands that lawmakers “perpet each judge” and that there is a “judicial coup” against Trump. Musk repeatedly amplifies far-right influencers by saying that the United States should emulate Salvador’s Strongman President Naive Bukell.
March 30thTesla and Mask protests build steam all over the world
A full-scale international protest against Tesla and Musk is being built. Thousands of people gathered in showrooms from Sydney to San Francisco on the day of action, with organizers saying “harming Tesla is stopping musk.” Vandalism against Tesla dealers, charging stations and cars has also been intensified worldwide, including multiple Molotov cocktail attacks and arson attacks.
Trump and Musk call the attack domestic terrorism, while Attorney General Pam Bondy vows to crack down on anyone who targets Tesla.
April 1stWisconsin Supreme Court Race will be responsible for mask responsibilities
Musk poured money into the Wisconsin Supreme Court competition. He and his group spent more than $20 million on the race, including a million-dollar check gift on stage. Democrat Susan Crawford lets go to the race by showing that mask money wasn’t able to buy it all.
April 22ndPoor Tesla Performance forces masks to focus
First-quarter revenue calls reveal that Tesla’s performance was even worse than expected, with a 71% decline in profits and a 9% decline in annual revenue. Musk announced in May that it will significantly reduce Doge’s working hours for some time.
April 30thMusk hat performance at cabinet meeting
At the cabinet meeting, the mask wears two literal hats, a “dark maga” hat covered in “America Bay” hats. Musk is joking after Trump supplements the double cap. “They say I wear a lot of hats.” This is potentially the final cabinet meeting of masks.
MayMusk begins to fade from the political spotlight
In May, he found musk with less voice than the offensive tone he took for the rest of the year, providing fuel for the protest, and losing Tesla’s revenue.
May 27thMusk begins to signal deviation from Trump
When Congress discusses Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” that cuts government services, Musk says he’s “disappointed” by the bill because he doesn’t cut domestic policies sufficiently.
“I think the bill will grow, or it’s beautiful. But I don’t know if it’s both,” he tells CBS.
May 30thMusk exit will be permanently changed by government
The era of musk as a special civil servant is over and we conclude the 130 days.