President-elect Donald Trump revealed that tech visionary Elon Musk and former GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy will spearhead the newly proposed Department of Government Efficiency, also known as the “DOGE.”
This ambitious department aims to reform the federal government by reducing waste, slashing bureaucracy, and implementing a leaner approach to federal operations.
“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,” Trump said in a statement. He explained the vision behind DOGE, highlighting the department’s mission to overhaul the vast federal bureaucracy and cut back on burdensome regulations.
The president-elect outlined his vision for DOGE as an innovative, entrepreneurial force for the federal government, creating an “approach to government never seen before” that will “dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies.” Trump believes the department will be a transformative project, likening it to “The Manhattan Project of our time.”
Musk and Ramaswamy will provide strategic guidance as external advisors, working closely with the White House and the Office of Management and Budget. Their collaboration will focus on enacting structural reforms that allow for unprecedented transparency, accountability, and responsiveness from federal agencies.
“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,” Trump added.
In a show of commitment to transparency, Musk pledged that all DOGE activities will be published online, enabling Americans to engage directly with the department’s mission to expose wasteful spending. Musk hinted at creating a “leaderboard” of the most extravagant government expenditures, making the department’s efforts “both extremely tragic and extremely entertaining.”
The department’s primary goal will be to achieve a smaller government by July 4, 2026, which marks the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. This ambitious deadline aligns with Trump’s “Save America” movement, aiming to return power to “We the People” by driving out waste and making the U.S. government more efficient and accountable.
Currently, the federal government’s annual expenditure is $6.5 trillion, with debt-related interest nearing $950 billion, according to recent Treasury Department data.
Ramaswamy expressed his excitement over the appointment, taking to social media platform X to say, “We will not go gently, @elonmusk.” This sentiment was echoed by Musk, who declared, “Threat to democracy? Nope, threat to BUREAUCRACY!”
The Department of Government Efficiency is just one part of Trump’s swift series of cabinet appointments, which include Florida Senator Marco Rubio as Secretary of State and South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem as Secretary of Homeland Security. With these appointments, Trump’s administration is set to embrace a bold, transformative vision for the next four years.
If successful, DOGE could reshape how the federal government operates and redefine the role of external advisors in the process. Trump, Musk, and Ramaswamy are confident that their efforts will lead to a more accountable, leaner government that upholds the interests of the American people above all else.