Trump taps Musk, Ramaswamy to oversee ‘drastic’ changes to U.S. government

President-elect Donald Trump announced Tuesday that he is appointing Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy to lead a new commission on cutting government spending and regulation, handing an enormous portfolio to the billionaire who gave political and financial support to his presidential bid.

In a statement, Trump said that Musk and Ramaswamy would be leading the “Department of Government Efficiency,” an idea championed by Musk. Trump said the department would operate outside of government, while partnering with the White House and its budget office to provide recommendations for overhauling federal operations. Musk has adopted the nickname “DOGE” for the commission, a reference to a meme-based cryptocurrency he also touted.

During the campaign, Musk called for the commission to find $2 trillion in cuts to the federal budget – a goal even some conservative budget analysts have panned as “absolutely absurd.”

While details remain vague, the commission could have major repercussions for the operations of the U.S. government and millions of federal workers. Republicans are poised to control both branches of Congress as well as the White House, giving the GOP an opportunity to pass into law an array of regulatory and spending changes.

Musk’s elevation to lead the commission comes despite concerns about his array of personal business interests with the federal government. His companies in the auto and space industries have grown through government contracts and subsidies, and he has long criticized government regulation of his firms. Musk has emerged as a key Trump ally during the presidential election, donating more than $118 million to Trump’s campaign.

Ramaswamy rose to prominence as a candidate in the 2024 GOP presidential primary. During that campaign, he embraced extreme cuts to the federal government – at one point calling for reducing the workforce by more than 75 %.

“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,” Trump said in the announcement.

Tech leaders in Musk’s circle frequently talk about the need for new “Manhattan projects,” arguing that the government has fallen behind on innovation in this century. Ramaswamy, reached for comment, said: “We will not go gently.”