this post was submitted on 21 Apr 2025
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Speculation of Tesla CEO’s possible departure comes as his influence in the administration appears to wane

Elon Musk is reportedly set to leave his government role because he’s tired of the what he sees as a litany of vicious and unethical attacks from the left, according to a report from The Washington Post.

It remains unclear when Musk will depart as head of DOGE; his special government employee status will expire at the end of next month. A person familiar with his thinking told The Post that Musk thinks that his work at DOGE won’t be diminished because of his departure, noting that staffers have already established themselves across a slew of federal agencies.

But speculation of Musk’s possible departure comes as his influence in the administration appears to wane. The New York Times reported last week that the acting commissioner of the IRS was being replaced after Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent complained that Musk had his preferred candidate installed without Bessent’s support. Musk has also annoyed other cabinet members by failing to coordinate with them in cost-cutting moves.

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[–] roguesignal@lemm.ee 15 points 6 days ago (1 children)

BYEEEEEE!

I can't wait to check TSLA stock tomorrow morning

[–] Raiderkev@lemmy.world 2 points 6 days ago

It's up, despite them completely shitting the bed on earnings. We'll see if it stays that way. Having traded stocks as a hobby, the market can be stupidly irrational sometimes. I believe it's up because he said he was going to distance himself from doge a bit, and do more for Tesla. Imo the damage is done, and he has done irreparable harm to the brand. Working less days for Doge doesn't change the fact that he founded Doge and pissed a lot of potential customers off in the process.

[–] kreskin@lemmy.world 3 points 6 days ago

Must be nice just dropping (what he claims is) important work on the ground when you need a nap.

He's really demonstrating his famous work ethic. Maybe that sleeping on the factory floor legend was not about work ethic but about spontaneous napping when he feels a tantrum coming on.

[–] EncryptKeeper@lemmy.world 2 points 6 days ago

Bullying works.

[–] HighFructoseLowStand@lemm.ee 2 points 6 days ago

In all honesty, if he left politics and stayed out of it I wouldn't my just leaving him to his harem and 40k.

America's democracy is in dire enough straits that we don't need to be stuck fighting the world's richest man on top of the whole mechanism of government. If he'll get and stay gone, I say leave him to it.

On the other hand, he's rich enough that he can jump back in at any time and go back to fucking our democracy and he's proven to be impulsive and mercurial, willing to throw his lot in with fascists because he got trolled on Twitter over how skin deep his progressive credentials are.

[–] SnotFlickerman@lemmy.blahaj.zone 147 points 1 week ago (2 children)

He already gave himself backdoor access to everything. Don't believe he's really gone.

He's gonna come back like a ransomware hacker, threatening to delete whole systems unless he gets what he wants.

[–] DogWater@lemmy.world 3 points 6 days ago

Exactly he's already accomplished what he wanted to do

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[–] friend_of_satan@lemmy.world 131 points 1 week ago (2 children)

He is the richest man in the world. He has every resource available to him. He constantly punches down. He doesn't deserve any sympathy.

[–] Etterra@discuss.online 44 points 1 week ago (7 children)

You can't buy a likable personality.

[–] ziggurat@lemmy.world 19 points 1 week ago

He tried, but he colflated a person on the leaderboard of a video game with a likeable personality

(No offense to likeable people on leaderboards)

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[–] oakey66@lemmy.world 115 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Still hope your businesses all get destroyed.

[–] PattyMcB@lemmy.world 21 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Until Trump and friends give him inside trading advice, they will. (Allegedly)

[–] Viking_Hippie@lemmy.dbzer0.com 18 points 1 week ago (2 children)

They already did de facto insider trading advice when the Mango Mussolini posted "this is a great time to buy" on Truth Social hours before pausing his stupid tariffs.

That cesspit is TECHNICALLY publicly available, but apart from a few journalists with the shittiest assignment ever, the only people likely to be there at 9:37am are members of his cult and adjacent sickos.

Besides, even if it's not insider trading, it's one of the most blatant examples of deliberate market manipulation ever, which is also illegal.

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[–] Deceptichum@quokk.au 82 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

I wish.

He’s running because Trump is getting tired of him and he achieved his strategic goals of removing business regulation hurdles.

Blaming attacks from the left makes him look like a victim and play up the “evil leftists” angle so they can attack them more, while giving him a “safe” out.

[–] Wilco@lemm.ee 71 points 1 week ago

We aren't letting up. Musk is hated, like every Nazi.

[–] antonim@lemmy.dbzer0.com 52 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

Lots of people would like to "leave politics", as they find themselves under "vicious and unethical attacks" by politicians. However, those people's political existence was forced upon them, they didn't want to be a "political" object, especially not in the current landscape.

Musk instead took up his political role consciously, and used it to further attack and harm many who would prefer to be left in peace. He had the luxury to activate himself, commit far worse violence upon the people than he has been subjected to by the people, and when he realises he doesn't really like it, even though the issues he's facing are probably comparatively trivial, he (believes he) has the luxury to return to a more secluded, safe position.

It's really quite disgusting. And I fear he'll get away with it. But I am at least satisfied that his story (a supposed tech guru with his marketing bullshit and his comically immature behaviour) has damaged much of the aura of the modern technocapitalist elite.

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[–] themeatbridge@lemmy.world 49 points 1 week ago

"The left is attacking me."

[–] someguy3@lemmy.world 47 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

[Gives Nazi salute.]

"Why are people attacking me? They must hate efficiency."

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[–] D_C@lemm.ee 46 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Alternate title:
"Scumbag musk has got all the info he needs from all the government servers. Now he's going to distance himself from everything then use that info as blackmail, or sell to Russia etc etc."

[–] A_Random_Idiot@lemmy.world 29 points 1 week ago

Primary goal was to neuter and disarm any agency that was actively investigating him, or had the authority to investigate him in the future.

The stolen data was just a happy little side dish he came into, that I'm sure isnt totally already in Russias hands. Just like how government credentials and login information didnt immediately end up in Russia's hands after Musks sham of an agency got a hold of them (it totally did)

[–] Monument@lemmy.sdf.org 43 points 1 week ago (2 children)

And it has nothing to do with the expiry on the special appointment coming up where Trump will either have to make him a real federal employee with all the legal exposure that confers or let him go.

As others have pointed out, he’s already compromised systems, downloaded what data he could for Peter Thiel/Palantir, broken those organizations to the furthest extent he is able, and likely will have continued access to the data through illegal means in the future for himself/his handlers.

He’s not ‘leaving politics’ because those mean liberals, he’s leaving because as a useful idiot, he’s fulfilled his use and maybe realized he was being used as an idiot, but likely not.

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[–] foggy@lemmy.world 42 points 1 week ago (1 children)

What a pussy.

Call yourself Dark Maga. Cry and run when the heat gets hot.

Pussy.

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[–] M0oP0o@mander.xyz 42 points 1 week ago (2 children)

Wait, when did he enter into politics? All I see is him buying power?

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[–] barneypiccolo@lemm.ee 35 points 1 week ago

I'm almost certain that he has been ordered by his board of directors to get back to work, or be removed as CEO of Tesla.

There is almost certainly a shareholder class-action suit brewing over his reckless and irresponsible behavior over the last several months, which has directly caused severe, and possibly irreparable, damage to the company's brand image AND it's sales around the world, as well as tanking the stock price, an unforgiveable sin in the investing world. Now that the bubble has popped, it will never inflate again. As future earnings reports are released, and sales continue to slide, the stock will continue to decline, and the cycle will continue until bankruptcy. And it is all traceable to Skum's self-indulgent, egotistical behavior.

The only question is will Skum be the only defendant, or will the lawsuit also name the individual members of the board, for not reigning him in, or firing him. They don't want to be sued alongside him, so they are forcing him to get back to work saving Tesla, thus letting them off the hook for legal liability.

Its doubtful Skum will be able to save Tesla at this point, its almost certainly too late. It is also probably too late to avoid a shareholder lawsuit. Investors have lost millions of dollars, not due to the vagaries of the market, but due to Skum's outrageous behavior, which, as CEO, he should have realized would damage his company and its investors significantly.

And arguing that he didn't recognize the danger in advance is no excuse at all for a CEO, who should have been able to predict the response to his self-indulgent ego bender.

Shareholders have lost many millions, and they won't just let that go with an "Oh well." He's likely going to get sued, and the board is just making sure they don't go down with him.

[–] Glide@lemmy.ca 33 points 1 week ago

You hear that guys? It's working; keep it up.

[–] SabinStargem@lemmy.today 33 points 1 week ago (2 children)

I hope that Musk leaves politics in a wooden box.

[–] harmsy@lemmy.world 2 points 6 days ago

I don't want to wait until he's in a box. I want him to leave politics now.

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[–] futatorius@lemm.ee 29 points 1 week ago (3 children)

He wants out now before the consequences catch up with him.

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[–] prole@lemmy.blahaj.zone 29 points 1 week ago

Too late buddy, you will never extricate yourself from what you've done here and it will haunt you for the rest of your miserable life.

[–] PurpleSkull@lemm.ee 28 points 1 week ago (2 children)

He's not leaving politics, he's at most changing vector. From being visible, to working more in the shadows.

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[–] Lushed_Lungfish@lemmy.ca 27 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Such a delicate little snowflake. I say fuck his feelings.

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[–] orcrist@lemm.ee 25 points 1 week ago (2 children)

Oh, he won't leave. I don't believe it for a second. There's too much money and power. He is going to milk the insider connections for as long as he can. But he might adjust his position to try to get the pressure shifted to others.

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[–] Ledericas@lemm.ee 24 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (2 children)

the "mythical left" that he and the right wingers keeps fantasizing about think it exists in the us.

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[–] Bluefalcon@discuss.tchncs.de 24 points 1 week ago (3 children)

Shit, he could do us all a favor and leave life.

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[–] Whateley@lemm.ee 22 points 1 week ago

Does he need help packing his shit?

[–] Initiateofthevoid@lemmy.dbzer0.com 22 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

He's just avoiding an audit.

They like to flout the law in real time because they know there are no real consequences, but Musk still doesn't want to leave an opening for a federal or state DA to sue him for financial disclosure and conflict of interest, if only to avoid the PR scandals from discovery.

He's probably going to 'officially' bow out, but maintain a totally-not-suspicious amount of digital communications with the army of fuckup loyalists he installed.

You know, just like that time the fuckup in chief relinquished control of his extraordinary number of conflicts of interest.

[–] hperrin@lemmy.ca 21 points 1 week ago

Somebody call the wambulamce.

[–] Serotoninexe@lemmy.zip 20 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Seize his assets and deport.

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[–] Nyticus@kbin.melroy.org 19 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Until I see it realistically happen, he's staying. It is all theater.

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[–] ToadOfHypnosis@lemm.ee 18 points 1 week ago

Yeah, boo hoo, fuck off forever you egomaniacal nepo-baby.

[–] DexiMachina@lemmy.world 17 points 1 week ago

Facts don't care about your feelings.

[–] al_Kaholic@lemmynsfw.com 17 points 1 week ago

Good next leave the country.

[–] YurkshireLad@lemmy.ca 17 points 1 week ago (4 children)

My 3 day old bowl of custard has a thicker skin than Musk. Probably smells nicer too.

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[–] Azal@pawb.social 16 points 1 week ago

We should totally all agree that we will leave Musk alone and start treating him nicely if he leaves politics wink wink nudge nudge

[–] FlyingSpaceCow@lemmy.ca 16 points 1 week ago (3 children)

Any chance he got all the data and access that he actually wanted, so now he's good?

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