In a sensational news disclosure on Tuesday, President-elect Donald Trump announced that tech entrepreneur Elon Musk and Indian-American businessman Vivek Ramaswamy will head a newly created Department of Government Efficiency or DOGE as part of his strides in streamlining the federal operations with fewer bureaucracies during his incumbency.
Trump Appoints Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy Heads of New Department of Government Efficiency
“I am proud to announce that the great Elon Musk, along with the great American patriot Vivek Ramaswamy, will be our leaders at the Department of Government Efficiency (‘DOGE’),” Trump said in an official statement.
“Together, these two outstanding Americans will head our effort to break apart the bureaucratic gears in Washington, cut unnecessary regulations, eliminate wasteful expenditures, and reform federal agencies. This is one of the major components of our ‘Save America’ movement and it’s going to be huge, shake up the system, and hit at those people responsible for government waste,” he added.
The DOGE will be actively working closely with the White House and with the Office of Management and Budget to move forward large-scale structural reforms, brainstorming and planning to bring an entrepreneurial mindset into the federal government. Trump referred to the department’s mission as akin to a modern-day “Manhattan Project,” underlining how he expects it to transform Government-again, throughout.
Driving Government Efficiency with an Entrepreneurial Approach
“The Department of Government Efficiency has the potential to be the ‘Manhattan Project’ of our time,” Trump said. “Republican leaders have long aspired to achieve the goals we are setting for ‘DOGE.’ To drive such transformative changes, this new department will look to outside experts and advice to deliver an entrepreneurial approach to governance unprecedented in history,” explained Trump.
I am confident that Elon and Vivek will succeed in bringing efficiency to the federal bureaucracy. Their goal is to make life better for all Americans by cutting out waste and fraud within our USD 6.5 trillion annual government spending.
They will work tirelessly to liberate our economy and make sure the U.S. government remains accountable to ‘We the People.’ Their work is set to conclude no later than July 4, 2026, delivering a more efficient government as a gift to America on the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.”
Musk and Ramaswamy React to the Appointment
Musk was quick to express his excitement through X (formerly Twitter), writing, “Department of Government Efficiency. The merch will be fire.” The playful comment suggests just how ambitious he is in the role he now takes.
Meanwhile, another cheerleader was added in the form of Vivek Ramaswamy, who ran for the Republican presidential nomination before endorsing Trump earlier this year. On X, Tagging Musk, he wrote, “We will not go gently, @elonmusk.” Ramaswamy again pushed his campaign slogan, SHUT IT DOWN, to reduce or eliminate federal agencies.
In an independent post, Ramaswamy announced his withdrawal from consideration for the planned appointment in a Senate seat in Ohio. “And yes, this means I’m withdrawing myself from consideration for the pending Senate appointment in Ohio. Whoever Governor DeWine appoints to JD’s seat has some big shoes to fill. I will help them however I can, he wrote on X.
Other Key Appointments in Trump’s Incoming Administration
DOGE leaders announced part of a wider slate of nominations for President-elect Trump who is racing to assemble his cabinet and senior leadership team. He won the election against the Democratic candidate Kamala Harris in the 2024 U.S. presidential election, and now he is busy completing his foreign policy and national security teams before formal inauguration in January 2025.
Among the day’s most important appointments was Trump’s naming of former Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe as the new director of the Central Intelligence Agency, or CIA. William Joseph McGinley has been appointed White House Counsel; former New York Congressman Lee Zeldin will assume the administratorship of United States Environmental Protection Agency, or EPA; and Fox News contributor Pete Hegseth, of course, is expected to become the next Secretary of Defense.
A New Focus on Government Reform
In this light, establishing the Department of Government Efficiency seems to be part and parcel of Trump’s vision for a leaner government and one that is more businesslike in its operations. The aim at waste elimination and reduction of bureaucracy fits well with promises made on the campaign trail to shake up Washington, D.C., and give power back to the American business.
The appointments of Musk and Ramaswamy both known to usher disruptive innovations and bold leadership in their fields indicate what is going to characterize the effort of Trump to inculcate newness into the conduits of government operation. Their mandate will be to scan the areas of inefficiency within federal agencies and introduce measures that save cost and spur productivity and accountability.
As the country readies itself for handover of power, all will converge on the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency and its ambitious goals under Trump. He has set a deadline for the work of this department to ultimately culminate on July 4, 2026, projecting it as an important legacy of his administration.
The most-watched initiative of Trump’s second term, however, is sure to be the Department of Government Efficiency, which comes out swinging with a high-profile team.
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