"I am excited to announce that the great Elon Musk, along with 'Patriot of America' Vivek Ramaswamy, will lead the Government Efficiency Department (DOGE)," President-elect Donald Trump said in a statement on November 12, local time.
"Together, these two great Americans will pave the way for my administration to dismantle the government bureaucracy, cut redundant regulations, reduce wasteful spending, and restructure federal agencies - a crucial element for the 'Save America' movement," the statement said.
Elon Musk - the richest man in the world with companies holding billion-dollar contracts with the federal government - has continuously been present at Mr. Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate this week.
The Tesla CEO is reportedly the second most influential person in the direct orbit of the president-elect after his campaign director, Susie Wiles, who has been nominated as the new chief of staff.
"Government Efficiency Department" - basically an independent advisory board - which billionaire Musk will help run, aims to "eliminate massive waste and fraud."
"This will shake the entire system and anyone involved in government waste, which is a lot of people!", a statement from billionaire Musk on November 12 stated.
According to the Guardian, the other figure mentioned in Mr. Trump's recent announcement - Vivek Ramaswamy - is a biotech entrepreneur who previously ran for president, and is assisting Mr. Musk in leading this effort.
Mr. Vivek Ramaswamy responded to the announcement on X, the social media platform owned by Musk: "We will not go easy, @elonmusk" and added the American flag symbol.
A "government performance oversight committee" is an idea promoted by billionaire Elon Musk and first mentioned by Mr. Trump earlier this month.
"I will establish a committee tasked with conducting financial and performance audits of the entire federal government and making groundbreaking reform recommendations," Mr. Trump said at a campaign rally held at the New York Economic Club on September 5.
Details about how this committee will operate are still unclear. At the time, Mr. Trump reiterated Mr. Elon Musk's argument that establishing such a committee would help cut unnecessary spending while reducing bureaucracy in the government's operations.
Mr. Trump is expected to return to public attention on November 13, when he goes to the White House to meet President Joe Biden and to Capitol Hill to consult with House Speaker Mike Johnson and Republican lawmakers.
Overall, Mr. Trump is laying the groundwork for his second presidential term much faster than his first term.
