Trump names Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy to head Department of Government Efficiency - 'Manhattan...

President-elect Donald Trump has officially chosen Elon Musk to take charge of the newly established 'Department of Government Efficiency,' with the goal of reducing the massive $6.5 trillion US bureaucracy.

On Tuesday night, Trump shocked everyone by announcing that Musk will join forces with former Republican presidential hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy to co-lead what he referred to as the 'Manhattan Project of our time.'

Musk stated, "This will create a huge ripple effect throughout the system, impacting many individuals involved in government waste—there are plenty of them!"

Republicans have frequently voiced their concerns about excessive government spending, while Trump has claimed that DOGE will achieve its objectives by July 4, 2026.

Trump promised that the two of them would assist him in breaking down government bureaucracy and eliminating unnecessary regulations, reducing wasteful expenditures, and reorganizing federal agencies.

Elon Musk (on the left) is now part of the Trump 2.0 administration, taking charge of the newly created 'Department of Government Efficiency.' He'll be working with former GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy (on the right).

Trump claimed that the large-scale initiative will eliminate significant waste and fraud, and he expects it to be finished by July 4, 2026.

In a statement, Trump expressed that a leaner government, marked by increased efficiency and reduced red tape, would be the ideal present for America as it celebrates the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. He also conveyed his belief in their ability to achieve this goal.

Trump highlighted that the duo will offer insights and direction from outside the government and aim to initiate significant changes by introducing a never-before-seen entrepreneurial style of governance.

Musk and Ramaswamy have emerged as key supporters of Trump within the tech community. The cryptocurrency DOGE gained immense popularity after Musk promoted it on Twitter, even before he bought and rebranded it.

Musk publicly backed Trump following the assassination attempt on the Republican during his rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, which occurred on July 13.

On October 5, the leaders of SpaceX, X, and Tesla joined Trump on the campaign trail as he made a return to the Butler venue. The moment was unforgettable as he energetically bounced around on stage.

He backed up his words with action by offering a $1 million prize every day to registered voters in crucial states.

Former President Donald Trump (on the left) addresses a crowd at his second rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, where he is joined by Elon Musk (on the right). Musk showed his support for the Republican candidate after Trump overcame the shooting incident in Butler that occurred in July.

Musk attended the election night celebration at Mar-a-Lago along with Trump and his family. Since then, he has been spotted in discussions with the president-elect as they work on assembling his Cabinet.

Ramaswamy is an entrepreneur with a law degree from Yale who founded Roivant Sciences Ltd. ten years ago. The company focuses on leveraging technology to support the development of new drugs and address various healthcare requirements.

He authored a well-known book titled Woke, Inc.: Unveiling the Social Justice Deception in Corporate America.

Ramaswamy kicked off the 2024 election season by launching his own presidential campaign, all while expressing admiration for the former president.

In contrast to candidates such as New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson, and former Representative Will Hurd, who all took a clear stance against Trump during the 2024 Republican primary, Ramaswamy praised the achievements of the 78-year-old former president during his time in office.

When Trump seemed to be a strong frontrunner before the early primaries, Ramaswamy never criticized the former president, unlike Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley. This approach allowed him to secure a favorable position within a potential Trump 2.0 administration.

Ramaswamy finished fourth in the Iowa caucuses, and shortly after, he decided to pause his campaign and threw his support behind Trump.

Both Musk and Ramaswamy are wealthy individuals, but Musk's fortune is believed to be around $304 billion, while Ramaswamy is valued at just $1 billion.

Trump stated, "Republican leaders have long envisioned the goals behind 'DOGE.' To achieve this significant transformation, the Department of Government Efficiency will seek external advice and support. They will collaborate with the White House and the Office of Management & Budget to implement broad structural reforms and introduce a new, innovative entrepreneurial mindset to government operations."

Musk reacted to the announcement by posting on X: "The merchandise is coming" and added three fire emojis.

On election night, Elon Musk (second from the right) is seen in a photo with the Trump family, surrounded by friends and political supporters at Mar-a-Lago.

Office of Government Optimization

The merchandise is going to be incredible!

Musk's choice was made during a wave of other appointments by the President-elect, who was starting to establish his close group of trusted associates.

Trump appointed Susie Wiles, who is managing his campaign, as the first woman to serve as the chief of staff in the history of the White House.

In the background, Wiles, known as 'Ice Baby,' managed to pull off one of the most impressive political comebacks in recent history. She will bring her straightforward approach as a political strategist to the West Wing.

Tom Homan, who previously served as the acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, has been appointed by Trump to the role of Border Czar. Meanwhile, Mike Waltz has been designated as the National Security Advisor for the White House.

Florida Senator Marco Rubio has transformed his image from being ridiculed by Trump as 'Little Marco' during their competitive campaign to potentially securing one of the most sought-after positions in the Cabinet: Secretary of State.

Rubio, a senator since 2010, is known for his strong stance on foreign policy, particularly concerning China, Iran, Venezuela, and Cuba. He is expected to support Trump's international strategies as the Secretary of State.

He is presently the leading Republican on the Senate Intelligence Committee and was thought to be among the candidates for vice president that Trump was considering earlier this year.

In a final development, Kristi Noem has been appointed as the head of Homeland Security under Donald Trump.

In her prominent position within the Cabinet, this strong supporter of Trump – whose aspirations for the vice presidency ended after she confessed to an incident involving her puppy – will work to fulfill Trump's commitments to address the issues at the southern border and remove millions of undocumented immigrants.