Trump taps Musk for leading government efficiency department
Photo: Elon Musk (Getty Images)
Newly elected US President Donald Trump appointed entrepreneur Elon Musk as head of the new Department of Government Efficiency. Musk will focus on reducing budget expenditures and restructuring federal agencies, according to Trump's page on X.
"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)," wrote the winner of the presidential election.
Trump added, "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!" Elon Musk remarked.
The message also notes that "it will become, potentially, the Manhattan Project of our time."
"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," the statement reads.
Trump added that the new department would "drive out the massive waste and fraud which exists throughout our annual $6.5 trillion dollars of government spending."
According to Trump, Musk and Ramaswamy’s work should be completed by 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," Trump concluded.
Who is Vivek Ramaswamy
Vivek Ramaswamy is an American entrepreneur of Indian descent, author, and conservative political figure.
He studied at Harvard and became popular in right-wing circles with his bestseller Woke, Inc., which condemns some major corporations' decisions to adopt business strategies centered on social justice and climate change issues.
During his presidential campaign, Ramaswamy supported banning abortions at the state level after six weeks and expressed a desire to significantly expand presidential powers while dismantling much of the federal government, including the FBI and the Department of Education.
The businessman ran for US president as a Republican candidate but withdrew his candidacy in January 2024 in favor of Trump.
In February 2023, Ramaswamy announced his candidacy for president under the Republican Party, but in January 2024, he withdrew in favor of Trump.
Ramaswamy has also spoken out against Ukraine's NATO membership, stating that Ukraine should make concessions to Russia to end the war, including ceding already occupied territories to Russia.
The businessman also called for the US to leave NATO.
Personnel appointments in Trump’s team
Even before officially declaring his victory in the presidential election, Donald Trump began appointing people to his new team.
Notably, Trump nominated Pete Hegseth, a veteran and Fox News anchor, to lead the Pentagon.
He appointed Mike Waltz as his National Security Advisor.
According to CNN, Elon Musk significantly influences personnel appointments within Trump’s new team.
In France, there is concern about Musk’s potential future influence on the administration’s policies, with officials emphasizing the importance of preserving democracy.
For more on Trump’s team, read RBC-Ukraine’s article "Trump's week: Changes for Ukraine after US election and what comes next."
