President-elect Donald Trump has appointed X CEO and world’s richest man Elon Musk to a newly-formed Department of Government Efficiency, it was revealed on Tuesday. The department will sit outside of the federal government, but will operate in tandem with the Office of Management and Budget. Former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy will also head up the task force.
The pair will be responsible for cutting regulation, excessive spending, and restructuring government agencies. At this early point, it is unclear how they will actually operate, but Trump has stated that the organization will conduct a complete financial and audit of the entire federal government.
Over the last few months, Musk and Trump have frequently alluded to a government efficiency department. For the President-elect, it is expected to form a key component of Project 2025, referred to on its website as an “historic movement…to take down the Deep State and return the government to the people.” For Musk, meanwhile, critics have stated that the appointment represents a conflict of interest, citing concerns that he will may to create a regulatory environment more favorable to his business endeavors.
