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.

Elon Musk left Washington D.C. last week making triumphant yet dubious claims he had achieved most of the federal headcount and spending cuts he’d set out to impose. Scarcely back in his role leading Telsa,