US President-elect Donald Trump has officially tapped Elon Musk to lead a newly established “Department of Government Efficiency,” a role focused on streamlining federal operations and cutting down on bureaucracy. Indian-American entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy will join Musk in this mission, aiming to reduce government waste and improve efficiency in federal agencies.
In a statement, Trump said, “Together, these two outstanding Americans will lead efforts to dismantle unnecessary bureaucracy, cut excessive regulations, eliminate wasteful spending, and overhaul federal agencies. Their leadership is essential to our ‘Save America’ movement.”
The announcement follows Trump’s recent victory over Democratic opponent Kamala Harris, whom he defeated by a margin of 69 electoral votes. During his victory speech, Trump commended Musk as a “super genius” and noted his significant contributions to the campaign. Musk reportedly spent two weeks in Pennsylvania, rallying support for the Republican ticket, and contributed over $100 million to Trump’s re-election efforts. He also mobilized his social media platform, X (formerly Twitter), to engage voters.
Trump’s relationship with Musk became even more apparent when, shortly after the election, he invited Musk to join a call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. During the conversation, Zelensky expressed gratitude for Musk’s Starlink technology, which has provided crucial communication support in Ukraine.
This appointment marks Musk’s first official role within a government administration, and Trump expressed confidence that Musk and Ramaswamy will bring impactful reforms to streamline the federal government’s operations and cut down on unnecessary expenses.
