It is over before it even started. Vivek Ramaswamy, co-leader of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) task force alongside entrepreneur Elon Musk, will be stepping down to pursue a campaign for Ohio governor. According to reports, an official announcement may come by the end of January, marking a new chapter in the 39-year-old businessman’s political career.
CBS News writes:
People close to Musk have privately undercut Ramaswamy for weeks, frustrated with his lack of participation in the heavy lifting, according to sources familiar with the internal dynamics. There has been friction between the incoming rank and file DOGE staff and Ramaswamy, the sources said, and Ramaswamy has been subtly encouraged to exit.
“Vivek has worn out his welcome,” one person close to Trump said.
Ramaswamy recently met with the Ohio’s sitting governor, Mike DeWine, about the state’s Senate seat left vacant by Vice President-elect JD Vance. But on Friday, DeWine announced he is appointing his lieutenant governor to the post.
Ramaswamy, who sought the GOP nomination in 2024, was at Mar-a-Lago, the president’s West Palm Beach, Florida, estate during the transition. Sources said he was spotted at the bar with Musk one day, scratching out plans for DOGE on a napkin. But the pair haven’t worked closely for a while, sources said.
Ramaswamy’s decision gained momentum on Friday when Ohio Governor Mike DeWine chose his Lieutenant Governor, Jon Husted, over Ramaswamy to fill the Senate seat vacated by Vice President-elect J.D. Vance, according to Politico.
Ramaswamy has remained a prominent figure in Republican circles since his unsuccessful bid for the GOP presidential nomination in 2024. He played a visible role during Trump’s transition period, often seen at Mar-a-Lago.
The Department of Government Efficiency, introduced by Trump as a key initiative to streamline federal operations, is not a conventional federal agency. Instead, it operates as an advisory group focused on reducing government spending and overhauling bureaucratic structures. The task force’s work is expected to conclude by July 2026.
