Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk will lead the Department of Government Efficiency.
That's according to US President-elect Donald Trump. Musk will lead the newly created department together with American entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, reports AFP.
"Together, these two wonderful Americans will pave the way for my administration to eliminate government red tape, cut unnecessary regulations, slash wasteful spending and restructure federal agencies - essential to the Save America movement," Trump added.
The announcement of Ramaswamy and especially Musk, who runs companies with existing, lucrative government contracts, immediately raises questions about potential conflicts of interest.
Trump had proposed creating a Department of Government Efficiency as part of a set of new economic plans he unveiled in early September. He said then that Musk had agreed to lead the department.
Ramaswamy made an X post to call for the abolition of federal agencies, writing, "CLOSE THEM DOWN."
Ramaswamy, who previously challenged Trump in the GOP presidential primary before endorsing him in January, has made reducing waste in government spending a key policy platform of his campaign.
Musk, for his part, has said he will propose a massive reduction in government regulations he has long complained about. The Tesla and SpaceX CEO also unveiled an evaluation system that threatens wasteful employees with layoffs, and proposed offering generous benefits to laid-off government workers. | BGNES
