Trump says Musk and Ramaswamy will lead government efficiency group

President-elect Donald Trump said Tuesday that Elon Musk and former Republican presidential hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy will lead an efficiency group when his second term begins in January.

Trump wrote in a post that the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, will “become, potentially, ‘The Manhattan Project’ of our time.” He also said the group would, “pave the way” for his next administration to “dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies.”

Trump didn’t specify where cuts will take place or when the department may be formed. Congress hasn’t created or funded such an office. He said the group’s “work will conclude no later than July 4, 2026.”

Musk’s involvement in the envisioned group was previously promised by Trump and touted by the Tesla CEO, who spent an estimated $200 million backing the Republican nominee’s 2024 campaign, as a reason to put the former president back in the White House. Musk, who also runs defense contractor SpaceX, has reportedly been stationed at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida since Election Night.

Ramaswamy, who challenged Trump in the Republican primary, is co-founder of investment firm Strive Asset Management. He has opposed the widespread adoption of environmental, social and governance, or ESG, principles by companies.

Trump announced a number of other appointments Tuesday, including naming Fox News host Pete Hegseth as his pick for defense secretary and John Ratcliffe as CIA director.

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