Donald Trump has confirmed Elon Musk will co-lead the new department of government efficiency.
The Tesla and X owner – who is also the world’s richest man – will work with former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy to lead the department, which is known as DOGE for short.
This marks the fulfilment of a promise made to the tech billionaire after he endorsed Trump in the race for the White House, and poured more than $119m (£92m) canvassing for him in the seven battleground states.
According to a statement, Trump said Musk and Ramaswamy “will pave the way for my administration to dismantle government bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure federal agencies”.
Despite its title, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is not an official government body but is designed to offer external guidance on government reform.
In a statement, Donald Trump announced that the DOGE will work alongside the Office of Management and Budget to drive extensive reform and apply an innovative approach to government operations.
Reports suggest that Elon Musk and biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy may serve in advisory roles without Senate approval, as their positions will not classify them as federal employees.
Trump added: “A smaller government, with more efficiency and less bureaucracy, will be the perfect gift to America on the 250th Anniversary of The Declaration of Independence. I am confident they will succeed!”
Musk said in the statement that the department will “send shockwaves through the system, and anyone involved in government waste”.
The billionaire has said in the past he wants to cut $2trn from the federal budget but has provided few details on what he would cut.
Ironically, Ramaswamy, who threw his support behind Mr Trump after suspending his own bid for the presidency in January, previously called for mass lay-offs in federal agencies.
A deadline of 4 July 2026 has been put in place for the new DOGE to conclude its work.
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