Trump appoints Musk, Ramaswamy to head newly-formed government efficiency department
United States President Donald Trump has appointed Tesla CEO Elon Musk and Indian-American entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy to head the newly-formed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The DOGE is a major part of Trump's "Save America" movement, which seeks to streamline government operations by cutting out unnecessary bureaucracy and wasteful spending. The president has assigned Musk and Ramaswamy the job of cutting back on "excess regulations" and restructuring federal agencies.
Musk, Ramaswamy's contributions to Trump's campaign rewarded
Both Musk and Ramaswamy have been ardent supporters of Trump. Musk donated over $100 million to Trump's re-election campaign and campaigned in Pennsylvania. Ramaswamy, a former Republican presidential candidate himself, endorsed Trump after dropping out of the race. These appointments can be viewed as a reward for their contributions to Trump's election campaign.
Musk's ambitious plans for government efficiency
Musk has previously expressed excitement about his new role, saying it would "send shockwaves through the system." He likened the initiative to "The Manhattan Project of our time," emphasizing its potential to revolutionize government efficiency. During Trump's campaign, Musk had proposed he could shave off $2 trillion from the federal budget—a move that would require deep cuts to entitlement programs such as Social Security and Medicare.
Ramaswamy withdraws from Senate consideration
Ramaswamy confirmed he is no longer eyeing a Senate appointment in Ohio after his new role announcement. He has promised to support whoever takes the Senate seat vacated by JD Vance. This development highlights Trump's strategy of bringing private sector leaders into government roles to improve efficiency.
