Donald Trump Taps Elon Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy to Lead Nonexistent Department of Government Efficiency

President-elect Donald Trump announced tonight that he would be appointing billionaire Elon Musk and former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy to head a new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) upon taking office in 2025. The acronym DOGE appears to be a reference to the digital currency dogecoin, of which Musk is a fan.

“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,” stated the announcement from Trump.

The statement did not offer specifics on the nature of DOGE, but did say that it would “provide advice and guidance from outside of Government” and that it would “partner with the White House of the Office of Management & Budget.”

In September, Trump said that he would create a government efficiency commission that Musk would run. Musk has called for cutting $2 trillion in federal spending. In 2023, the government spent $1.7 billion in discretionary funds. On X, Musk has already alluded to departments and areas he’d aim to cut, including the Department of Education and funding for National Public Radio.

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