Elon Musk has confirmed his departure from the Trump administration, ending a controversial stint as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

The billionaire entrepreneur made the announcement on his social media platform, X, on Thursday (Australian time), thanking US President Donald Trump for the role.

“As my scheduled time as a Special Government Employee comes to an end, I would like to thank President @realDonaldTrump for the opportunity to reduce wasteful spending,” he wrote.

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“The@DOGEmission will only strengthen over time as it becomes a way of life throughout the government.”

Appointed at the beginning of Trump’s second term, the pair was often seen together in the early months.

But Musk’s appearances have become less frequent in recent months.

His DOGE made headlines worldwide as it pledged to slash trillions in public spending.

The department’s website claims it has saved about $US175 billion ($272 billion) as of April.

But his cost-cutting push drew fierce criticism, with opponents arguing that it crippled key government functions and left critical departments underfunded.

Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk (left) announced he is ending his time as part of US President Donald Trump’s administration on his social media platform X. Credit: AAP

The world’s richest man is also believed to have clashed with several senior figures within the administration, adding to the turbulence of his tenure.

Musk’s departure comes one day after he criticised Trump’s “big beautiful bill”, which includes multi-trillion-dollar tax cuts and a pledge to boost defence spending.

“I was disappointed to see the massive spending bill, frankly,” Musk said in an interview with CBS Sunday Morning.

When asked about the comments, Trump did not respond directly.

Musk’s mandate was set to end around May 30, as his special government employee status ends.

Musk, who reportedly spent at least $US250 million to support Donald Trump’s election campaign, has said he plans to reduce his political spending going forward.

He also plans to rededicate time to his companies, electric automaker Tesla and rocket manufacturer SpaceX.