Chethana Janith, Jadetimes Staff
C. Janith is a Jadetimes news reporter covering science and geopolitics.
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has appointed Elon Musk to a new advisory role focused on government cost-cutting, part of his plan to streamline bureaucracy as he prepares to return to the White House next year.
Tech billionaire Musk, known for advocating major spending cuts, will work alongside biotech investor Vivek Ramaswamy in leading a newly established "Department of Government Efficiency" (Doge), a nod to Musk's favorite cryptocurrency, Dogecoin.
Trump emphasized that Musk and Ramaswamy will serve in an advisory capacity and that the Doge will not be an official government department.
On the same day, Trump selected Fox News host and military veteran Pete Hegseth as his choice for defense secretary, marking another move to bring political newcomers into his administration.
Musk, who supported Trump’s re-election bid with substantial financial contributions, had been widely speculated to take on a role in the administration, which has so far prioritized loyal supporters. Trump himself hinted at Musk’s involvement in government cost-cutting during his campaign.
Ramaswamy, a former Republican presidential candidate, endorsed Trump after withdrawing from the race earlier this year.
Following last week’s election victory, Trump is rapidly assembling his top team, with another former Republican rival, Marco Rubio, reportedly being considered for the position of secretary of state.
Trump is expected to have strong backing in Congress, as Republicans have secured the Senate and are close to winning control of the House.
What is the Doge?
It’s still unclear exactly how the Doge will function.
The organization does not yet exist, and it isn’t expected to be an official government department. Typically, such agencies must be established through an act of Congress and employ large numbers of staff.
In his Tuesday night announcement, Trump clarified that the Doge would "provide advice and guidance from outside of government." He said the initiative would support efforts to streamline government by "cutting excess regulations, reducing wasteful expenditures, and restructuring federal agencies."
Musk and Ramaswamy are expected to work with the White House and the Office of Management & Budget to address "massive waste and fraud" within the federal budget, which totals around $6.5 trillion annually.
Trump likened the initiative to the Manhattan Project, the historic World War II program that developed the first nuclear weapons.
The president-elect stated that Musk and Ramaswamy's advisory work would conclude no later than July 4, 2026, symbolically aligning with American Independence Day.
The organization’s name is a nod to Musk's favorite cryptocurrency, Dogecoin, a digital currency originally created as a joke in 2013 based on an internet meme. Dogecoin’s value has surged in recent days.
The roles of Musk and Ramaswamy
In the business world, Musk is known for his strong stance against what he sees as excessive government regulation and for his aggressive cost-cutting measures, especially after acquiring Twitter, which he rebranded as X and downsized significantly.
Musk, the founder of SpaceX and Tesla, recently proposed reducing U.S. federal spending by at least $2 trillion - nearly a third of the federal budget, though he hasn’t provided specific details. He has also suggested cutting hundreds of federal agencies, claiming that many have overlapping responsibilities.
In a statement from Trump’s campaign, Musk commented, “This will send shockwaves through the system, and will impact those involved in government waste, which includes many people.”
After the announcement, Musk posted on X: “Threat to democracy? Nope, threat to BUREAUCRACY!!!”
Ramaswamy, in response to the announcement, shared Trump's post on social media with the caption, "we will not go gently." He also confirmed that he would withdraw from consideration for the Ohio Senate seat, soon to be vacated by Vice-President-elect JD Vance.
During his own presidential run last year, Ramaswamy proposed reducing the federal workforce by over 75% and shutting down several major agencies, including the Department of Education, the FBI, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Since Trump’s election victory last week, Musk has reportedly been by Trump's side daily at his estate in Palm Beach, Florida, even participating in a recent phone call Trump had with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Flurry of appointments
Trump announced the appointments of Musk and Ramaswamy amid a flurry of press releases on Tuesday evening, which also saw several senior national security positions filled.
John Ratcliffe, slated to lead the CIA, previously served as Trump's director of national intelligence and oversaw US intelligence agencies. South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem was confirmed as Trump's nomination to serve as secretary of homeland security.
Meanwhile, some eyebrows were raised at the nomination of Fox News host Pete Hegseth to lead the Pentagon. A veteran of the Iraq war, he has limited experience of government but has been a vocal supporter of Trump's for several years.
