Trump's DOGE shake-up: Musk takes sole charge as Ramaswamy exits
Elon Musk will remain the sole head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) appointed by President Donald Trump. Following a divergence in vision for DOGE, co-chair Vivek Ramaswamy resigned from his position right after Trump was sworn in as president, reports American media.
The Department of Government Efficiency was designed to significantly reduce US federal budget expenditures. During the presidential campaign, Elon Musk, a supporter of Trump, spoke of cuts amounting to $2 trillion, although experts clearly explained that this proposal was unrealistic.
Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy were initially set to jointly lead DOGE on equal footing. However, surprising developments regarding this matter have emerged from the United States.
Split under Trump: "Deep Differences"
It turns out that right after Donald Trump's inauguration, Vivek Ramaswamy resigned from his position with DOGE. Individuals familiar with the situation told the "Washington Post" that the split resulted from "deep philosophical differences over how the panel should operate." The newspaper cites six individuals who wished to remain anonymous in this matter.
Another source familiar with the situation told the "Wall Street Journal" that in recent weeks, the vision for DOGE had evolved more toward expenditure cuts, which Musk supported. Less emphasis was placed on regulatory and bureaucratic constraints, which Ramaswamy emphasized.
The decisive factor turned out to be the operational framework of DOGE. In Ramaswamy’s vision, the "department" was to be an advisory body to the Trump administration, with wide-ranging powers to provide opinions. However, the situation changed when Trump signed an executive order that integrated DOGE into the executive branch and renamed it the "United States DOGE Service." The "WSJ" reports that this unit will be overseen by White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles.
“I don’t think Vivek would have signed up under any sense on paper he wouldn’t be co-lead,” an individual familiar with the matter told the "WSJ."
Ramaswamy is also expected to run for governor of Ohio, and according to the law, he cannot pursue this position as a representative of the federal government. The 39-year-old Ramaswamy made his fortune in biotechnology before getting involved in American politics. In 2023, Forbes estimated his wealth at $630 million.
