Musk said he had "done enough" and that he will step away from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), the inner-government group that has slashed federal budgets and workforces. As he prepared his goodbyes, Newsweek looked back at Musk's time in government and asked experts on whether he will have a lasting impact.

Musk explained away a black eye during a White House appearance on Friday by saying that his 5-year-old son had punched him in the face while the two were playing around.

Elon Musk's effort to dramatically cut government spending is expected to fall far short of his grand early pronouncements, and perhaps even his most modest goals.