President-elect Donald Trump on Tuesday announced that Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy will join his administration to lead a proposed new department focused on improving government efficiency, reducing waste, and cutting excess regulation.
“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.”
Trump suggested that the proposed department would create an entrepreneurial approach to government “never seen before” and would send shockwaves through Washington.
The department would have the edict of providing advice and guidance from outside the government, working in step with the White House and Office of Management and Budget “to drive large scale structural reform.”
“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,” Trump said.
“Importantly, we will drive out the massive waste and fraud which exists throughout our annual $6.5 Trillion Dollars of Government Spending. They will work together to liberate our Economy, and make the U.S. Government accountable to ‘WE THE PEOPLE.’”
Musk, who has publicly advocated for government efficiency, supported Trump’s campaign and echoed the need for immediate spending cuts.
“We will also have a leaderboard for most insanely dumb spending of your tax dollars. This will be both extremely tragic and extremely entertaining.”
Trump has tasked the proposed DOGE with a goal to make the federal government “smaller” by July 4, 2026.
The federal government currently spends over $6.5 trillion annually, with debt-related interest reaching $950 billion this past year, according to Treasury Department data.
Federal employment now totals more than three million civilian employees, with spending spanning areas from social security and defense to infrastructure and education.
During the 20th century, this figure fluctuated. It peaked at over 3 million in the 1980s, 1990s, and 2010s, each time under a Democratic president.
Trump initially discussed the initiative in September at the Economic Club of New York, confirming Musk’s proposed involvement at that time.
“I look forward to serving America if the opportunity arises,” Musk said in a post on X. “No pay, no title, no recognition is needed.”
Despite Musk’s willingness to forego compensation, his appointment could raise conflict-of-interest concerns due to his companies’ reliance on federal subsidies and regulations.
