Trump names Elon Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy to head new Efficiency Department to clean up bureaucracy

US President-elect Donald Trump said Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk will lead Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a position Trump hinted during his 2024 US Presidential election campaign trail. Billionaire Musk will head DOGE alongside Indian-American entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy.

“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 a statement.

Ramaswamy becomes the first Indian American whom Trump has chosen for his administration, starting January 20 next year.

“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,” Trump said in a statement.

The US President-elect went on to say that he looks forward to Musk and Ramaswamy “making changes to the Federal Bureaucracy with an eye on efficiency and, at the same time, making life better for all Americans.”

Trump said that Musk and Ramaswamy will work together to “liberate” US economy and make the government accountable to “We the People”.

“Their work will conclude no later than July 4, 2026 - A small Government, with more efficiency and less bureaucracy, will be the perfect gift to America on the 250th Anniversary of The Declaration of Independence,” Trump said, adding, “I am confident they will succeed!”

Trump said DOGE 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 tp drive large scale structural reform, and create an entrepreneurial approach to Government never seen before,” Trump said.

‘This will send shockwaves through the system’: Musk

Musk has been a staunch supporter of Trump and was also a key part of Trump’s Presidential campaign. The owner of X donated over 100 million dollars to Trump’s re-election battle and even campaigned aggressively using the social media platform.

In response to Trump’s announcement of him leading DOGE, Musk said: “This will send shockwaves through the system, and anyone involved in government waste, which is a lot of people.”

Barely days after winning the crucial US polls, Trump, on November 9, made it more evident that Musk would be a part of his administration after he reportedly asked him to join a call with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

‘Will not go gently’: Ramaswamy

Tech entrepreneur Ramaswamy, who earlier this year withdrew his presidential bid and backed Trump in the race to the White House, meanwhile said, “We will not go gently.”

With inputs from agencies.