President-elect Donald Trump announced on Tuesday the creation of a new Department of Government Efficiency, tapping two prominent private-sector figures—billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk and former GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy—to lead the initiative. Known supporters of Trump, both Musk and Ramaswamy are set to spearhead the ambitious task of cutting government bureaucracy, slashing regulations, and driving sweeping structural reforms across federal agencies.
In his statement, Trump praised the duo, saying, “Musk and Ramaswamy will pave the way for my Administration to dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies.” He emphasized that the department’s purpose would be to provide outside perspective and expertise, operating in coordination with the White House and the Office of Management & Budget to foster an “entrepreneurial approach” to reforming government.
Trump also stated that their work would conclude by July 4, 2026, marking it as a “gift” to the nation on its 250th Independence Day anniversary.
Musk, ranked by Forbes as the world’s richest person, could see this role amplify his already significant influence in Washington, potentially benefiting his array of companies, which include Tesla, SpaceX, and the social media platform X. Musk has been a vocal supporter of Trump, donating millions to his campaign and joining him on the campaign trail. Trump hinted earlier that he would offer Musk a role in his administration focused on streamlining government.
In a statement from Trump’s team, Musk remarked, “This will send shockwaves through the system, and anyone involved in government waste, which is a lot of people!” Trump likened the initiative to a modern-day “Manhattan Project,” referencing the pivotal World War II effort to develop the atomic bomb.
Ramaswamy, a biotech entrepreneur who initially competed against Trump in the Republican primary before endorsing him, expressed his enthusiasm for the project on X, saying, “We will not go gently, @elonmusk.”
In his response, Musk posted on X, calling the initiative “a threat to BUREAUCRACY!” and jokingly referencing the new department’s acronym, DOGE, which coincidentally shares its name with the cryptocurrency dogecoin—a favorite of Musk’s.
With Musk and Ramaswamy at the helm, Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency aims to deliver sweeping reforms, promising to shake up Washington’s status quo by targeting bureaucratic excess and regulatory sprawl.
