Donald Trump is committed to dismantling or at least reducing the size of the federal government, with billionaire Elon Musk appointed to oversee the process alongside Republican primary candidate and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy. "The Great Elon Musk, working in conjunction with American Patriot Vivek Ramaswamy, will lead the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)." "Together, these two wonderful Americans will pave the way for my administration to dismantle government bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures and restructure federal agencies – essential to the 'Save America' Movement," Trump said enthusiastically in a statement released, Tuesday evening, November 12. The US president-elect said this will potentially become "the 'Manhattan Project' of the current time," drawing a comparison with the secret project to build the atomic bomb during World War II.
Trump's statement clarified that this is a temporary mission. "Their work will conclude no later than July 4, 2026. 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," wrote the president-elect.
This appointment will not involve the creation of a new department, which would require a vote in Congress and will apparently not be subject to a Senate confirmation vote. The DOGE will operate outside the federal government and will work with White House departments to implement its recommendations, Trump said. "Musk isn't expected to become an official government employee, meaning he likely wouldn't be required to divest from his business empire," wrote the Wall Street Journal.
It is unclear whether or not Musk will reduce his involvement in the management of his personal companies, in particular Tesla (automotive), SpaceX (space and telecom) and the social media platform X, to avoid conflicts of interest. The acronym for the DOGE department is a nod to Musk, referencing Dogecoin, the cryptocurrency he has frequently promoted online.
The proposal for such a commission had been made by Musk himself during a conversation with Trump, on X, in August. "I think it would be great to have a government efficiency commission to ensure taxpayers' hard-earned money is spent wisely," the businessman had proposed. In early September, Trump gave him this mission in front of the Economic Club of New York. "This will save trillions of dollars." The Wall Street Journal was jubilant, hailing in an editorial "Trump's Best Idea: Unleashing Elon Musk on Government."
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