'Threat to bureaucracy': Elon Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy's 1st reaction after Trump picks them to lead DOGE
By Sunita Iyer | First Published Nov 13, 2024, 7:09 AM ISTUS President-elect Donald Trump said on Tuesday Elon Musk and former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy will lead the newly created Department of Government Efficiency.
US President-elect Donald Trump has named tech mogul Elon Musk and former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy to lead a newly created federal department focused on reducing government waste and bureaucracy. In a statement issued Tuesday, Trump announced that Musk, the CEO of Tesla, SpaceX, and social media platform X, along with Ramaswamy, a pharmaceutical entrepreneur, will spearhead the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
Their mission will be to dismantle government bureaucracy, slash unnecessary regulations, cut wasteful spending, and restructure federal agencies to make the government more efficient.
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Musk and Ramaswamy "will pave the way for my Administration to dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies," Trump said in a statement.
Trump said their work would conclude by July 4, 2026, adding that a smaller and more efficient government would be a "gift" to the country on the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
“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,” Trump added in a statement.
The new department, which Trump has dubbed the "Department of Government Efficiency" (DOGE), is intended to be a major cornerstone of his administration. Its acronym has drawn attention for its similarity to Dogecoin, the cryptocurrency Musk has famously endorsed, further cementing the link between Musk’s business ventures and his government role.
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Musk, known for his outspoken support of Trump, has been a major donor to the president’s campaign and a frequent public ally. Ramaswamy, who ran for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination but eventually dropped out to back Trump, has also supported the President’s vision for overhauling government operations.
In Trump’s statement, Musk expressed confidence that the initiative would "send shockwaves through the system" and put pressure on those benefiting from government inefficiency. He described the project as "potentially 'The Manhattan Project' of our time," alluding to the historic US effort to develop nuclear weapons during World War II.
Musk, Ramaswamy react to appointments on X
Following the announcement, Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy took to X, formerly Twitter, to react to their names being announced as chiefs of the DOGE. In a post on X, Musk wrote, "Department of Government Efficiency, The merch will be (fire emoticon)." In another post, the Tesla CEO said, "Threat to democracy? Nope, threat to BUREAUCRACY!!!"
In another post, Musk quoted a squirrel meme, stating, "The prophecy has been fulfilled." The meme which features a squirrel reads: You swerve to avoid a squirrel. Unknown to you, the squirrel pledges a life debt to you. In your darkest hour, the squirrel arrives.
Here's a look at series of posts on X by Elon Musk following the announcement:
Department of Government Efficiency
The merch will be 🔥🔥🔥
Threat to democracy?
Nope, threat to BUREAUCRACY!!!
The prophecy has been fulfilled https://t.co/2EgiOBOGeM
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk)All actions of the Department of Government Efficiency will be posted online for maximum transparency.
Anytime the public thinks we are cutting something important or not cutting something wasteful, just let us know!
We will also have a leaderboard for most insanely dumb… https://t.co/1c0bAlxmY0
Making Government Fun Again! https://t.co/Q2s4rZKInx
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk)Meanwhile, Ramaswamy too responded to Trump statement on X saying, "We will not go gently @elonmusk."
"And yes, this means I’m withdrawing myself from consideration for the pending Senate appointment in Ohio. Whoever Governor DeWine appoints to JD’s seat has some big shoes to fill. I will help them however I can," he further said.
We will not go gently, . 🇺🇸 https://t.co/sbVka2vTiW
— Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRamaswamy)And yes, this means I’m withdrawing myself from consideration for the pending Senate appointment in Ohio. Whoever Governor DeWine appoints to JD’s seat has some big shoes to fill. I will help them however I can.
— Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRamaswamy)The department’s goals will be a part of a broader effort to streamline the federal government and align it with Trump’s business-minded approach. The initiative is also timed to coincide with the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, which Trump envisions as a moment for a new, more efficient government to be presented as a “gift” to the nation.
The appointments of Musk and Ramaswamy represent a strategic move by Trump to enlist successful figures from the private sector to help implement his vision for federal reform, with the ultimate aim of reducing government size and inefficiency across the board.
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