DOGE: Vivek Ramaswamy and Elon Musk plan major job cuts in federal bureaucracy, mass deportation of millions
In a daring move to tackle inefficiency within the US government, Indian-origin entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced the launch of their new initiative, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The pair, who have been tasked by President-elect Donald Trump to lead the charge, outlined their ambitious plan to streamline federal operations, slash wasteful spending, and reform a sprawling bureaucracy they describe as bogged down by inefficiency.
Speaking at a gala hosted at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida on Thursday, Ramaswamy expressed their intent to radically transform Washington, declaring they would take “a chainsaw” to the federal bureaucracy. “Elon Musk and I are in a position to start the mass deportations of millions of unelected federal bureaucrats out of the D.C. bureaucracy,” Ramaswamy said, drawing applause from the audience.
The entrepreneur, who previously ran for the Republican presidential nomination, emphasized Musk’s bold approach, joking, “And I don’t know if you’ve got to know Elon yet, but he doesn’t bring a chisel, he brings a chainsaw.” He added, “It’s going to be a lot of fun.”
This metaphor may be a nod to Argentine President Javier Milei, who famously campaigned with a chainsaw to symbolize his plans to cut government excess. Milei, an economic libertarian, pledged to use the chainsaw to reduce Argentina’s bloated bureaucracy and fiscal deficit—an image that has resonated with Ramaswamy and Musk as they seek to take similar action in Washington.
The DOGE initiative, which will operate outside of the traditional government framework, is designed to reduce unnecessary regulations, eliminate wasteful expenditures, and restructure federal agencies. “Our goal is to shave the size of government and to be as transparent as possible with the public,” Ramaswamy said, adding that their efforts would be like a “modern Manhattan Project” to streamline U.S. governance.
The new department, named after Musk’s favourite cryptocurrency, Dogecoin, will aim to operate with minimal overhead, drawing attention to its mission of cutting costs while improving the efficiency of government operations. Both Musk and Ramaswamy committed to keeping the public informed through weekly “Dogecasts,” livestreamed on X (formerly Twitter), Musk’s social media platform.
To lead this government overhaul, the DOGE is recruiting “super high-IQ, small-government revolutionaries,” promising intense work schedules of 80 hours per week. The recruitment process has been announced on X, with applicants instructed to message DOGE directly on the platform, requiring a paid subscription. “Elon & Vivek will review the top 1% of applicants,” the post read.
Despite widespread support from some circles, the DOGE initiative has faced criticism. Some worry that the drive to slash government spending could destabilize critical public services, particularly those related to national security and healthcare. However, Ramaswamy dismissed such concerns, emphasizing that the cuts are necessary to foster innovation and control costs. “We’ve been taught to believe that we’re a nation in decline, but last week proved otherwise,” he stated. “DOGE’s job is to create a government of a size and scope that our Founders would be proud of.”
The announcement of DOGE marks the latest step in an ambitious effort by Ramaswamy and Musk to reshape American governance, a high-profile initiative that has already stirred debate across the political spectrum.
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