Trump Appoints Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy to Head Department of Government Efficiency Initiative

President-elect Donald Trump has appointed Elon Musk and former Republican candidate Vivek Ramaswamy to lead the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a new initiative aimed at reducing federal bureaucracy and eliminating wasteful government spending. In a statement released Tuesday, Trump described Musk as a “great innovator” and Ramaswamy as an “American patriot,” announcing that they would work alongside the Office of Management and Budget to overhaul government operations.

According to Trump, the 53-year-old Tesla and SpaceX CEO Musk and the 39-year-old Ramaswamy will serve as external advisors to help streamline federal processes, reduce regulations, and reimagine government structures in a bid to promote what he calls “the save America movement.”

DOGE: A Modern “Manhattan Project” for Efficiency

The initiative’s title, DOGE, mirrors the name of the cryptocurrency Dogecoin, popularized by Musk. Trump likened the effort to the “Manhattan Project” of government efficiency, referencing the World War II initiative that led to the creation of the atomic bomb.

Trump outlined that their work would aim to produce a leaner government structure by July 4, 2026, which would mark the 250th anniversary of America’s independence, a timeline he described as an “ambitious but fitting gift” for the country. Musk and Ramaswamy’s work, he added, will focus on reducing redundancies and promoting a private-sector-inspired model in federal departments.

Musk and Ramaswamy’s Vision for DOGE

Responding to his appointment, Musk indicated that all of DOGE’s activities would be documented online for public oversight. Musk tweeted that DOGE would incorporate a public leaderboard to spotlight government expenditures considered by taxpayers as unnecessary. This transparency, he believes, will promote accountability and encourage citizen feedback on spending decisions.