President-elect Donald Trump on Tuesday announced that Tesla founder Elon Musk and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy will lead a new Department of Government Efficiency, a White House office given the task of cutting the federal budget.
In a statement, Mr. Trump said the two business leaders will work to “dismantle government bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures and restructure federal agencies.”
The Department of Government Efficiency will operate outside of traditional government channels, but will partner closely with the White House and the Office of Management and Budget by taking an entrepreneurial approach, Mr. Trump said.
“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,” Mr. Trump said.
Mr. Musk said the new office will “send shockwaves through the system and anyone involved in Government waste, which is a lot of people!”
He described the project as “The Manhattan Project” of government reform.
The project is set to conclude by July 4, 2026, aligning with the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Mr. Trump said the date is the “perfect gift” to the American people.
Mr. Musk, a key Trump backer who pumped millions into his campaign, is a tech mogul who is the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX. He is the world’s richest man with a net worth of $319 billion.
Mr. Ramaswamy is a former Republican presidential candidate and biotech CEO. Although he competed against Mr. Trump for the Republican presidential nomination, he ended his campaign early and quickly became a loyal Trump supporter, comparing him at one rally to George Washington.
Jeff Mordock
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