Musk will step down soon Trump tells his inner circle

President Donald Trump has told his cabinet that Elon Musk will step back from his role in the administration soon, according to several reports.

- KATIE HAWKINSON and GRAIG GRAZIOSI

Mr Musk, who has been leading the Department of Government Efficiency's efforts to reduce the federal workforce and budget, will soon step into a supporting role, anonymous Trump insiders told Politico and ABC News. Mr Trump discussed this with cabinet members at a 24 March meeting, Politico reports.

The tech mogul is officially designated as a “special government employee”, which means his role expires after 130 days. That would mean the role ends in late May or early June, but many expected the White House to extend the role or find another way to keep him in a frontline position, ABC News reports.