Ramaswamy Steps Away from Trump's DOGE Initiative: White House Insider
Click to start listening
Synopsis
Entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy has stepped away from leading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) as he gears up for a gubernatorial bid in Ohio, leaving Elon Musk at the helm. Ramaswamy expressed gratitude for his involvement and hinted at future political plans.
Key Takeaways
- Vivek Ramaswamy exits DOGE for Ohio gubernatorial run.
- Elon Musk takes over leadership of DOGE.
- Ramaswamy acknowledges contributions and hints at future announcements.
- He faced criticism for remarks on American culture and engineering talent.
- Ramaswamy's political future remains a topic of speculation.
Washington, Jan 21 (NationPress) Entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, who was previously chosen to head the new government efficiency office within the White House, will not be taking on the role as he gears up for a gubernatorial campaign in Ohio, according to a White House representative.
This change leaves the Department of Government Efficiency, also known as DOGE, under the leadership of Elon Musk, who was seen arriving at the White House on Monday afternoon.
The official mentioned that Musk has obtained a White House pass and is anticipated to operate from the West Wing.
"Vivek Ramaswamy played a pivotal role in helping us establish DOGE," stated Trump-Vance transition spokesperson Anna Kelly in a media statement.
Kelly pointed to Ramaswamy's ambition to run for Governor of Ohio as the reason for his exit from the committee dedicated to finding ways to reduce the size of the federal government.
"He plans to pursue an elected position soon, which necessitates his departure from DOGE, according to the framework we disclosed today," she added.
"We express our profound thanks for his contributions over the past two months and foresee him playing a crucial role in our mission to make America great again."
Following his exit, Ramaswamy referred to his involvement with DOGE as an "honor" and hinted at an announcement regarding his political aspirations.
"It was my honor to assist in the establishment of DOGE," he shared on X.
"I am optimistic that Elon and his team will excel in optimizing government operations."
"I will soon share more about my future plans in Ohio. Above all, we are fully committed to supporting President Trump in making America great again!" he concluded.
Ramaswamy and SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk were appointed by President Trump last November to lead this new initiative, which is anticipated to collaborate closely with the White House and its Office of Management and Budget.
The 39-year-old former Republican presidential primary candidate faced criticism from various factions in MAGA circles last month over a social media post where he suggested that American "culture" was celebrating "mediocrity".
"The reason leading tech firms often hire foreign-born and first-generation engineers over 'native' Americans isn't due to an innate American IQ deficit (a lazy and incorrect explanation). A significant factor relates to the c-word: culture," Ramaswamy articulated in a detailed post on X advocating for foreign worker visas.
The founder of Roivant Sciences further argued that popular American culture has favored "the prom queen over the math olympiad winner" and "the athlete over the valedictorian" -- hindering the U.S. in nurturing engineering talent compared to other nations.
Ramaswamy noticeably decreased his activity on social media following the immigration post, prompting speculation regarding his standing within Trumpworld.
The Ohio native was rumored to be a potential candidate to fill Vice President J.D. Vance's seat in the U.S. Senate before Buckeye State Governor Mike DeWine appointed Lieutenant Governor Jon Husted for the position.
When a parody account of Ramaswamy on X misled several users into believing he was launching a gubernatorial campaign in Ohio, the real Ramaswamy replied: "Not a bad idea, though."
Ramaswamy attended the 78-year-old President's swearing-in ceremony at the U.S. Capitol on Monday.
