Vivek Ramaswamy will not join Doge as he readies Ohio governor bid
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Mr Vivek Ramaswamy in a post on X on Jan 20 said it was his “honour to help support the creation of Doge”.
PHOTO: BLOOMBERG
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WASHINGTON – Mr Vivek Ramaswamy will not join US President Donald Trump’s government efficiency effort as he readies a campaign for governor in Ohio.
Mr Trump had named the biotech entrepreneur and former Republican presidential candidate to lead the panel – dubbed the Department of Government Efficiency
But Ohio Governor Mike DeWine’s decision to select his lieutenant governor, Mr Jon Husted, to replace Vice-President J.D. Vance in the US Senate opened the possibility for Mr Ramaswamy to seek the governor’s mansion in 2026.
Mr Ramaswamy’s exit from the cost-cutting initiative was first announced by a spokesperson for the Trump transition.
“Vivek Ramaswamy played a critical role in helping us create Doge. He intends to run for elected office soon, which requires him to remain outside of Doge based on the structure that we announced today,” Ms Anna Kelly, a spokeswoman for the transition effort, said in a statement.
“We thank him immensely for his contributions over the last two months and expect him to play a vital role in making America great again!”
Mr Ramaswamy in a post on X on Jan 20 said it was his “honour to help support the creation of Doge”.
“I’m confident that Elon & team will succeed in streamlining government. I’ll have more to say very soon about my future plans in Ohio,” he added.
Mr Trump noted his effort to establish the “brand new” panel in his inaugural address, but so far has not provided details of how the effort would be structured.
Mr Ramaswamy ran against Mr Trump in the Republican primaries but dropped out and endorsed him
While Mr Ramaswamy enthusiastically supported the limited-government vision of the Doge, the project was primarily the brainchild of Mr Musk, the CEO of Tesla and one of Mr Trump’s most prominent supporters.
Mr Musk was spotted by CNN entering the office building adjacent to the White House on the afternoon of Jan 20 as Mr Trump attended inaugural events. BLOOMBERG
