**Trump Appoints Elon Musk to Head New ‘Department of Government Efficiency’**
President-elect Donald Trump has formally declared that billionaire Elon Musk will lead a newly established U.S. Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) during his administration. Although Musk isn’t eligible to run for president, he will still significantly influence the formation of the incoming government.
In an announcement shared on Trump’s social media platform, Truth Social, the president-elect noted that Musk, whom he called “the Great Elon Musk,” will collaborate with pharmaceutical and financial entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy to direct the new department. DOGE is set to work with the White House’s existing Office of Management and Budget to “drive large-scale structural reform and adopt an entrepreneurial approach to government.”
According to Trump, DOGE aims to “pave the way for [his] Administration to dismantle government bureaucracy, eliminate redundant regulations, cut unnecessary spending, and reorganize federal agencies.” The department is expected to finish its initiatives by July 4, 2026, striving to create “a more streamlined government with increased efficiency and reduced bureaucracy.”
Ramaswamy took to X (formerly Twitter) to announce that DOGE will begin crowdsourcing instances of government waste, fraud, and abuse. He also confirmed his exit from the race for Ohio’s Senate seat, emphasizing that Americans deserve a role in government reform. Musk resonated with this viewpoint, suggesting the initiative would “send shockwaves through the system” and focus on those implicated in government waste.
The U.S. may soon face significant layoffs impacting thousands of government employees. Ramaswamy had earlier proposed slashing 75% of the federal workforce during his 2023 presidential campaign, with plans to dismantle agencies such as the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Department of Education. Should Musk, Ramaswamy, and Trump execute their vision, approximately 1.7 million federal workers could find themselves jobless.
### Musk’s Track Record Raises Concerns
While the concept of reducing bureaucracy might seem attractive, Musk’s past endeavors in efficiency improvements have not gone without hiccups. After acquiring Twitter (now X) in 2022, Musk dismissed nearly 90% of the platform’s workforce within days. The company’s valuation has since plummeted by 80%, and Musk’s actions have resulted in multiple lawsuits over unpaid severance. Additionally, user interaction and advertising revenue have considerably decreased since Musk’s takeover.
Trump also has a history of regulatory rollbacks. During his first term, he weakened worker safety standards, discarded rail safety measures, and relaxed banking regulations. His administration repealed over 100 environmental regulations, which researchers estimate could lead to an extra 1.8 billion tons of greenhouse gas emissions over 15 years. One analysis even connected 22,000 American fatalities in 2019 to Trump’s deregulation of environmental safeguards.
### DOGE: A Meme-Inspired Department?
The title “Department of Government Efficiency” has raised questions, as its abbreviation, DOGE, appears to be a reference to the well-known “Doge” meme. This meme also inspired Dogecoin, a cryptocurrency that Musk has publicly endorsed. Musk briefly changed Twitter’s logo to the Doge meme in 2023, resulting in a 30% surge in Dogecoin’s value and igniting a class-action lawsuit accusing him of insider trading.
Musk appeared to acknowledge this link by sharing a cartoon image of a DOGE logo featuring an orange dog on X. Given the significance of governmental functions, the choice to name a department after a meme and appoint Musk to lead it has left many questioning the initiative’s seriousness.
### Musk’s Financial Ties to Trump
Musk invested over $130 million in support of Trump during the recent presidential election, which included running a $1 million voter lottery that seemingly only benefitted Republicans. The billionaire’s net worth increased by $15 billion the day following the election, as his companies—Tesla, SpaceX, and Neuralink—stood to gain from eased regulations and government contracts under Trump’s administration.
Musk has already hinted at finding ways to profit from his new position, posting on X, “Department of Government Efficiency. The merch will be 🔥🔥🔥.”
As the U.S. prepares for possible mass layoffs and extensive government reforms, the future of the Department of Government Efficiency—and the nation—remains uncertain.