Trump appoints Elon Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy to lead US govt efficiency department

United States President-elect Donald Trump has announced that tech billionaire Elon Musk will serve in the Department of Government Efficiency.

Musk will be joined by American patriot Vivek Ramaswamy, and together they will lead the department.

This was disclosed in a statement issued by Trump on Tuesday, November 12, 2024, which was shared via Musk’s X handle early on Wednesday.

The Republican noted that their appointments will help his administration “dismantle government bureaucracy, slash excessive regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure federal agencies.”

Trump, 78, who defeated Vice President and Democrat Kamala Harris in the 2024 US presidential election, added that the department, popularly called DOGE, would work with the White House and the Office of Management and Budget to “drive large-scale structural reform and create an entrepreneurial approach to government never seen before.”

The statement read, “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’). Together, these two wonderful Americans will pave the way for my administration to dismantle government bureaucracy, slash excessive 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!” stated Mr Musk.

“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 the Office of Management and Budget to drive large-scale structural reform and create an entrepreneurial approach to government never seen before.”

“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 that exists throughout our annual $6.5 trillion of government spending. They will work together to liberate our economy and make the US government accountable to ‘We the People.'”

“Their work will conclude no later than 4th July 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!”

Musk, the owner of social media platform X, electric car manufacturer Tesla, and internet company Starlink, was vocal in his support for the Trump-Vance presidential ticket in the last election.

He donated $75 million to the pro-Trump spending group, according to Reuters.

Other appointees in Trump’s cabinet include:

Lee Zeldin — Environmental Protection Agency Administrator

Mike Waltz — National Security Advisor

Susie Wiles — White House Chief of Staff

Tom Homan — Border Czar

Elise Stefanik — Ambassador to the United Nations

Stephen Miller — Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy