PRESIDENT Donald Trump is set to hold a special press conference this evening to say goodbye to his friend Elon Musk, following Musk’s decision to leave his position related to the White House.

The Tesla CEO revealed yesterday his decision to step down from his role as Trump’s “secretary of cost-cutting,” expressing disapproval of a new bill introduced by the Republican administration.

Trump was all praise for Musk and dubbed the billionaire “terrific” – his first official response on Musk’s departure.

The MAGA president said he would hold a special briefing with Musk at the White House to mark his final day in office.

Trump wrote on Truth Social: “Elon is terrific! I am having a Press Conference tomorrow at 1:30 P.M. EST, with Elon Musk, at the Oval Office.

“This will be his last day, but not really, because he will, always, be with us, helping all the way.”

Musk showed unwavering support for the Republican MAGA campaign, which earned him a role in Trump’s top team.

Musk expressed gratitude to Trump upon resigning, stating: “As my term as a Special Government Employee concludes, I would like to thank [President Trump] for the chance to help in minimizing unnecessary expenditures.”

The billionaire spent most of Trump’s first 100 days leading the newly forged Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) – slashing government spending and giving the president crucial pieces of advice.

And his time in the office – during which he upended several federal agencies and slashed billions of government bills – has been marked by a slew of dramatic moments.

This includes the billionaire tech mogul brandishing a chainsaw on stage and even putting up a Tesla sales pitch outside the White House.

Musk became a near-constant presence in the White House.

Dressed down in MAGA hats and t-shirts, he would always be seen flanking Trump in and out of the White House.

And so did his four-year-old son named  X Æ A-Xii for some time.

At Trump’s first cabinet meeting in February, Musk had a rather starring role, even though he is not part of the cabinet.

He stood looming near a doorway, wearing a t-shirt with the words “Tech Support” across the chest as the cabinet met.

He was named a “special government employee” in January, a designation given to people with specialised expertise who join the government for a short time.

The billionaire tech mogul was granted a 130-day employment period ending on May 30.

In April, Musk revealed he would leave the Trump administration when his work is expected to be finished, despite the president saying he wants to keep him as long as possible.

Musk did not have a formal conversation with Trump before announcing his exit, according to an official source.

His exit came a day after criticising Trump’s marquee tax bill.

He called the bill too expensive and said that it would undermine his work with the US DOGE, which he said was becoming the “whipping boy for everything”.

Musk told CBS News: “I was disappointed to see the massive spending bill, frankly, which increases the budget deficit, not just decreases it, and undermines the work that the DOGE team is doing.”

Speaking to the Washington Post, the billionaire said: “DOGE is just becoming the whipping boy for everything.

“Something bad would happen anywhere, and we would get blamed for it even if we had nothing to do with it.”

One source said the billionaire’s decision to trash Trump’s bill on television deeply upset senior White House aides.

The legislation includes a mix of tax cuts and enhanced immigration enforcement. 

Musk, at times, tended to be effusive in his praise of Trump.

“The more I’ve gotten to know President Trump, the more I like the guy,” he said in February.

“Frankly, I love him.”

The MAGA president repaid the favour, describing Musk as a truly great American.

And when Musk’s Tesla sales were tanking – with vandals targeting his brand – he even hosted a highly publicised test drive to boost the brand’s reputation at the White House.

With a Tesla Cybertruck and a Model S parked on the South Portico, Trump and Musk mounted a sales pitch.

The president even said he had purchased one.

While the Tesla boss remains close to the president, his exit comes after a gradual but steady slide in standing.

When asked about Doge’s future, Trump acknowledged that the goal was to operate fluidly without Musk at the helm.

“There will be a point at which the secretaries will be able to do this work and do it, as we say, with a scalpel,” Trump told reporters on Monday.

Trump has been outspoken about his support of Musk’s work with the Department of Government Efficiency, but had hinted that the tech genius won’t be around for long.

Earlier in March, the president said, “I think he will know when it’s time. He doesn’t want to stay around.”

Trump explained that Musk is busy juggling efforts with Space X and various other business ventures and would like to get back at the helm sooner rather than later.

‘MAJOR WASTE CLEANUP’

Since working at the forefront of Doge, Musk has claimed the department has cut tons of wasteful government spending.

Several cabinet secretaries are already discussing with the White House how to proceed without further alienating Congressional Republicans.

“This is a revolution and I think it might be the biggest revolution in the government since the original revolution,” he said.

The Tesla owner was tasked by the Trump administration to find $1 trillion worth of savings by 2026 and claimed DOGE’s goal is to cut waste and the deficit by $4 billion a day, seven days a week.

Trump and DOGE have managed to cut nearly 12 per cent, or 260,000, of the 2.3 million-strong federal civilian workforce largely through threats of firings, buyouts and early retirement offers.

“The DOGE mission will only strengthen over time as it becomes a way of life throughout the government,” Musk said.

But even as department heads will keep some DOGE infrastructure in place, they will likely move to reassert control over budgets and staffing.

Having spent nearly $300 million to back Trump’s presidential campaign and other Republicans last year, he said earlier this month he would substantially cut his political spending.

“I think I’ve done enough,” Musk said at an economic forum in Qatar.