Home » ‘Big Balls’ Quits: 19-Year-Old Musk Protégé Leaves U.S. Government Post
News

‘Big Balls’ Quits: 19-Year-Old Musk Protégé Leaves U.S. Government Post

Edward Coristine — perhaps better known by his self-appointed online nickname “Big Balls” — has resigned from the U.S. government.

A White House official confirmed to WIRED that the 19-year-old stepped down Monday from his role in the so-called Department of Government Efficiency.

The unofficial agency once led by tech billionaire Elon Musk was tasked with slashing federal spending and cutting jobs.

Musk, the world’s richest person, quit last month and then spent days slamming President Donald Trump over his proposed spending bill.

Coristine’s appointment to DOGE earlier this year ― alongside multiple other Gen Zers ― had raised eyebrows at the time over his age and lack of experience, his access to sensitive government systems and his moniker.

Before joining DOGE, he’d interned at Musk’s brain-computer interface startup Neuralink.

Coristine used the “Big Balls” name on social platforms.

In a Fox News interview last month, he explained: “People on LinkedIn take themselves like super seriously and they are pretty averse to risk, and I was like, well, I want to be neither of those things, so I just set it, and honestly, I didn’t even think anyone would notice.”

Watch that interview here:

Coristine has not commented publicly on his departure.

Newsletter