President-elect Donald J. Trump has announced plans to create a new department, dubbed the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), aimed at slashing government spending and reducing bureaucracy. The department will be led by wealthy entrepreneurs Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy.
Musk, who contributed significantly to Trump’s campaign, aims to cut $2 trillion from the federal budget. However, details on how this will be achieved are scarce. The announcement has raised concerns about conflicts of interest, given SpaceX’s substantial involvement in federal contracts and ongoing investigations into its activities.
Ramaswamy, a former pharmaceutical executive and presidential rival, has proposed aggressive cuts to government agencies, including eliminating the Education Department, F.B.I., and Internal Revenue Service by executive order. He also advocates for a 75% reduction in the federal workforce and slashing foreign aid.
This new initiative is reminiscent of previous efforts by presidents to reform the government. While some reforms have been implemented, others have failed to deliver significant changes. Trump’s promise to “drain the swamp” in Washington has been made before, but it remains to be seen whether his latest plan will yield substantial results.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/12/us/politics/elon-musk-vivek-ramaswamy-trump.html