Trump Recruits Musk and Ramaswamy to Lead Government Efficiency Advisory Group

President-elect Trump has appointed X CEO Elon Musk and former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy to lead a new advisory group called the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). 

The Details: DOGE, in tandem with the White House Office of Management and Budget, will aim to reign in excessive government regulations and spending and restructure federal agencies. The group will aim to complete its operations by July 4, 2026, the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence.

For Context: Musk and Ramaswamy are both prominent tech and business entrepreneurs who have established themselves as ardent backers of Trump. “DOGE” is also the ticker symbol for the cryptocurrency Dogecoin, which is often touted by Musk.

Key Quotes: Trump said the group “will provide advice and guidance from outside of Government” to “create an entrepreneurial approach to Government never seen before.” Musk said DOGE will “send shockwaves through the system and anyone involved in government waste, which is a lot of people!”

How the Media Covered It: The New York Times (Lean Left bias) highlighted that Musk’s company SpaceX has secured over $10 billion in federal contracts over the last decade, and that Trump has not addressed whether this creates a conflict of interest. It also highlighted that Musk’s companies have recently been targeted by “at least 20 different investigations or lawsuits by federal agencies.” Financial Times (Center bias) included context that the “conservative majority on the Supreme Court has also been gradually curbing the power of federal agencies.”