At a celebratory rally after Trump’s inauguration, Musk’s White House career got off to a contentious start when he seemingly offered a straight-arm salute at the Capitol One Arena in Washington, D.C., as he excitedly told the crowd: “My heart goes out to you.”

Elon Musk's break with the Trump administration means investors will hope he refocuses on his sprawling empire as Tesla battles slumping sales and after SpaceX's latest rocket launch fell short of expectations.

A White House official told Reuters it was accurate Musk is leaving the administration and his "off-boarding will begin tonight.” Musk on Wednesday thanked U.S. President Donald Trump as his time as a special government employee as a part of the Department of Government Efficiency draws to an end,