Washington had never seen anyone like Elon Musk, who decided to step back from his role as Donald Trump's unorthodox adviser. Here's a look back at Musk's time in politics.
Musk Trump
FILE - Elon Musk reacts as President-elect Donald Trump speaks at a rally ahead of the 60th Presidential Inauguration, Jan. 19, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)
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Musk Trump
FILE - Elon Musk gestures as President Donald Trump addresses a joint session of Congress at the Capitol in Washington, March 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)
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Musk Trump
FILE - Elon Musk, center, listens as President Donald Trump speaks during a cabinet meeting at the White House, April 30, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)
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Musk Trump
FILE - President Donald Trump speaks with Elon Musk as his son X 脝 A-Xii looks on as they arrive on Marine One at the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, April 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File)
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Musk Trump
FILE - President Donald Trump, left, and Elon Musk depart the White House to board Marine One en route to New Jersey, March 21, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File)
Mark Schiefelbein
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Musk Trump
FILE - In this picture taken through a window, President-elect Donald Trump, from left, Trump's pick for the planned Department of Government Efficiency Elon Musk and Vice President-elect JD Vance attend the NCAA college football game between Army and Navy at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Md., Dec. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough, File)
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Musk Trump
FILE - Elon Musk holds up a chainsaw he received from Argentina's President Javier Milei, right, as they arrive to speak at the Conservative Political Action Conference, CPAC, at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center, Feb. 20, 2025, in Oxon Hill, Md. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File)
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Musk Trump
FILE - Elon Musk carries his son X 脝 A-Xii as they arrives on Air Force One with President Donald Trump, not pictured, at Miami International Airport, April 12, 2025, in Miami, Fla. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta, File)
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Musk Trump
FILE - Elon Musk speaks at a town hall, March 30, 2025, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps, File)
Jeffrey Phelps
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Musk Trump
FILE - Elon Musk, left, shakes hands with President Donald Trump at the finals for the NCAA wrestling championship, March 22, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)
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Musk Trump
FILE - Elon Musk flashes his t-shirt that reads "DOGE" to the media as he walks on South Lawn of the White House, in Washington, March 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File)
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Musk Trump
FILE - Elon Musk, departs a lunch between President Donald Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the Royal Palace in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, May 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)
Alex Brandon
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Musk Trump
FILE - President Donald Trump and Tesla CEO Elon Musk speak to reporters as they sit in a red Model S Tesla vehicle on the South Lawn of the White House, March 11, 2025, in Washington. (Pool via AP, File)
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Musk Trump
FILE - Google CEO Sundar Pichai and Elon Musk watch during the 60th Presidential Inauguration in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Jan. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson, Pool, File)
Julia Demaree Nikhinson
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APTOPIX Trump
Elon Musk attends news conference with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House, Friday, May 30, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
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Trump
President Donald Trump, right, shakes the hand of Elon Musk during a news conference in the Oval Office of the White House, Friday, May 30, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
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Pictures of the Week Global Photo Gallery
President Donald Trump speaks during a news conference with Elon Musk in the Oval Office of the White House, Friday, May 30, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
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Musk Trump
FILE - Former first lady Melania Trump greets Elon Musk before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump arrives at a campaign rally at Madison Square Garden, Oct. 27, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)
Evan Vucci
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Musk Trump
FILE - Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump, left, claps as Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk prepares to depart after speaking at a campaign event at the Butler Farm Show, on Oct. 5, 2024, in Butler, Pa. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)
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Musk Trump
FILE - Elon Musk jumps on the stage as Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally at the Butler Farm Show, Oct. 5, 2024, in Butler, Pa. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)
Evan Vucci
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Musk Trump
FILE - President-elect Donald Trump listens as Elon Musk explains the operations ahead of the launch of the sixth test flight of the SpaceX Starship rocket, Nov. 19, 2024, in Boca Chica, Texas. (Brandon Bell/Pool via AP, File)
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Musk Trump
FILE - Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, left, and Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump attend a campaign event at the Butler Farm Show, Oct. 5, 2024, in Butler, Pa. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)
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Last Friday, Trump heaped praise on Musk as he prepared to leave his unorthodox White House job. Less than a week later, their potent political alliance met a dramatic end.