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.”

The nation's capital had never seen anyone like Elon Musk, who announced this week that he's stepping back from his role as Donald Trump's most unorthodox adviser.

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.