Trump announces Elon Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy to lead new US Department of Government Efficiency

US President-elect Donald Trump has announced that Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, SpaceX, and ‘X’ along with Indian-origin Vivek Ramaswamy to lead the new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

“I am pleased to announce that the Great Elon Musk, working in conjunction with American Patriot Vivek Ramaswamy, will lead the Department of Government Efficiency (“DOGE”),” Trump said in an official statement on Tuesday.

“Together, these two wonderful Americans will pave the way for my Administration to dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies – Essential to the “Save America” Movement. This will send shockwaves through the system, and anyone involved in Government waste, which is a lot of people!,” he added.

The DOGE will partner with the White House and the Office of Management and Budget to drive large-scale structural reform and create an entrepreneurial approach to government.

“It will become, potentially, “The Manhattan Project” of our time. Republican politicians have dreamed about the objectives of “DOGE” for a very long time. To drive this kind of drastic change, the Department of Government Efficiency will provide advice and guidance from outside of Government and will partner with the White House and Office of Management & Budget to drive large-scale structural reform and create an entrepreneurial approach to Government never seen before.” he said.

“I look forward to Elon and Vivek making changes to the Federal Bureaucracy with an eye on efficiency and, at the same time, making life better for all Americans. Importantly, we will drive out the massive waste and fraud which exists throughout our annual USD 6.5 Trillion Dollars of Government Spending. They will work together to liberate our Economy, and make the U.S. Government accountable to “WE THE PEOPLE.” Their work will conclude no later than July 4, 2026 – A smaller Government, with more efficiency and less bureaucracy, will be the perfect gift to America on the 250th Anniversary of The Declaration of Independence. I am confident they will succeed!,” he added.

In response to Trump’s announcement, Musk shared a post on X and wrote, “Department of Government Efficiency The merch will be fire”

Ramaswamy, who had also been a presidential candidate before halting his candidacy in January this year to back Trump  also shared a post on X, tagging Musk and wrote, “We will not go gently, @elonmusk.”

Ramaswamy separately responded on X with a slogan he often used during his presidential campaign to call for the elimination of federal agencies, writing: “SHUT IT DOWN.”

“Americans gave President Trump a decisive mandate to end illegal immigration. He’s going to do it” he said.

Further, he said that he is withdrawing himself from consideration of the pending Senate appointment 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 posted  on X.

Earlier in the day, Trump made some major announcements as well, including the nomination of former Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe as the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), William Joseph McGinley as White House Counsel, Former New York Congressman Lee Zeldin as Administrator of the United States Environmental Protective Agency (EPA), and Pete Hegseth as the Secretary of Defense.

Following his victory over Democratic candidate Kamala Harris in the 2024 US presidential election, President-elect Donald Trump is moving swiftly with finalizing his foreign policy and national security team ahead of his formal inauguration in January 2025.