DOGE already cracking at the seams? Vivek Ramaswamy reportedly plans to step aside after ‘friction’ with staff
Former presidential candidate and biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy is reportedly expected to leave his post at the Department of Government Efficiency.
President-elect Donald Trump appointed Ramaswamy to co-lead the agency — which will operate outside of government — alongside the world’s richest man, Elon Musk. Trump and the co-chairs have promised to slash the federal budget, primarily through drastic cuts to agencies and mass firings.
Now Ramaswamy is expected to soon step down from the position, CBS News reports, citing sources familiar with the agency’s internal dynamics. Ramaswamy is also planning to run for Ohio governor to replace Mike DeWine, the current term-limited Republican state leader, according to an earlier report from The Washington Post.
The entrepreneur’s expected resignation is a result of friction between him and incoming agency staff, according to CBS News. Those close to Musk have also undercut Ramaswamy in recent weeks, CBS News reports, and are frustrated with his lack of participation in the heavy lifting.
The Independent has contacted Trump’s transition team for comment.
This isn’t the only roadblock the agency is facing.
Musk admitted last week that his promised target of cutting $2 trillion from the federal budget isn’t feasible after all.
“I think we’ll try for $2 trillion. I think that’s the best-case outcome,” Musk said. “But I do think that you kind of have to have some overage. I think if we try for $2 trillion, we’ve got a good shot at getting $1 [million].”
Economists warned that cutting nearly one-third of the nation’s federal budget is implausible ever since Musk first pitched the idea in October at a Trump rally.
If Ramaswamy launches a gubernatorial campaign and wins, it will be his first time holding public office. The entrepreneur and Cincinnati-native previously ran a Republican presidential campaign in an effort to rival Trump before dropping out in January 2024.
In the primaries, Ramaswamy would likely have to face off against Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, who has made headlines for fighting to defend the state’s six-week anti-abortion law. Meanwhile, former Ohio Department of Health Director Amy Acton previously announced her campaign to run as the Democratic nominee.
