Vivek Ramaswamy, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to co-lead the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) alongside X (formerly Twitter) owner Elon Musk, is preparing to step down from the task force. According to multiple reports, Ramaswamy plans to announce his campaign for Ohio governor by the end of January.
More from Politico on his potential run:
“Ramaswamy’s potential exit could upend DOGE, which aims to reduce government spending by up to $2 trillion by July 4, 2026 — by which time his Ohio gubernatorial campaign will need to be well underway. Following the election, Ramaswamy informed members of the transition that he planned to run for governor, said a person familiar with the transition.Ramaswamy’s decision accelerated when Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine passed over Ramaswamy to replace Vice President-elect JD Vance in the Senate on Friday, picking instead his own Lt. Gov. Jon Husted.”
The possibility of Ramaswamy’s departure has fueled speculation about the inner workings of DOGE, which have been a well-kept secret.
CBS has more on what happened:
“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 also faced criticism last month when, the day after Christmas, he ignited a heated debate on the H-1B visa program. Legal Insurrection covered the controversy, and his tweet sparked widespread discussion, generating almost 118 million views.
Was this fallout from this tweet the reason for his exit? Or was it tension with the rank-and -file? It’s hard to say.
In a city like Washington, D.C., where people are so busy looking at their neighbor’s lawn, they miss the weeds in their own (And I know, having lived here over a decade), the palace intrigue and infighting happen. Transitions bring changes, alliances shift, and power dynamics evolve.
Will we ever know the full story of what happened at DOGE? Probably not. But one thing seems certain: wherever Ramaswamy goes next, he’s likely to draw significant support. For now, all eyes are on the Buckeye State.
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