"Musk Ousted" First Cut in US Office of Management Efficiency Is Ramaswamy

Resigned Officially to Run for Governor
In Reality, Ousted by Musk Over H-1B Visa Remarks

Businessman-turned-politician Vivek Ramaswamy, who co-headed the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) alongside Tesla CEO Elon Musk, resigned after 69 days. The official reason was to run for Ohio governor, but reports suggest he was actually ousted due to conflicts with CEO Musk.

On the 20th (local time), U.S. political media outlet Politico cited three sources reporting that CEO Musk had expressed a desire to remove Ramaswamy from the Department of Government Efficiency in recent days.

Vivek Ramaswamy, who resigned as co-head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) on the 20th (local time). Photo by AP Yonhap News

Ramaswamy plans to announce his candidacy for Ohio governor next week and resigned from his co-head position at DOGE to prepare for this. He competed against President Donald Trump in last year's Republican presidential primary but dropped out midway and subsequently became a strong supporter of Trump. Recognized for his efforts during the campaign, he was appointed co-head of the newly established Department of Government Efficiency, responsible for government structural reform and budget cuts, alongside Musk, a close ally of President Trump.

One of the main reasons Musk and some Republicans became dissatisfied with Ramaswamy was the 'H-1B visa' incident. At the end of last month, Ramaswamy posted on social media platform X that part of the reason tech companies hire foreign workers is due to a mindset that praises mediocrity over excellence, criticizing American culture.

The H-1B visa is a professional visa issued to highly skilled immigrants, and Silicon Valley figures, including CEO Musk, advocate for expanding immigration through this visa.

One of the three sources told Politico, "They wanted Ramaswamy out even before he posted that message, but after he posted it, they kicked him out."

Politico assessed, "Musk's ability to oust Ramaswamy, who angered Republicans in the Trump camp for various reasons, demonstrates his influence in the next administration," adding, "This foreshadows internal strife that marked President Trump's first term."

A source familiar with the Department of Government Efficiency said Musk believed it was impossible to work at DOGE while running a public office campaign.

According to six people who recently spoke with Ramaswamy, he told close aides that he was actively involved in DOGE and drafting executive orders until the 18th. However, an insider familiar with internal affairs said Ramaswamy had hardly worked on DOGE-related tasks since early December.

Ramaswamy and his close aides have described his departure positively. One aide said Musk and Ramaswamy maintain a good relationship and that realistically, it is impossible to lead DOGE while running for governor simultaneously.

President Donald Trump has not commented on the noise within DOGE. At a supporters' event the previous day, Trump said, "We have Musk and Vivek studying costs, along with some other great people." Ramaswamy also spoke alongside White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles at Trump's inauguration.

However, criticism of Ramaswamy reportedly exists within the Republican Party. Politico revealed that a staff member from Speaker of the House Mike Johnson's office shared a meme depicting Musk erasing Ramaswamy. Johnson's office spokesperson denied this.

Meanwhile, Anna Kelly, spokesperson for the Trump transition team, stated in a release, "Ramaswamy played an important role in creating the Department of Government Efficiency," adding, "To run for governor, he must remain outside DOGE according to the structure announced today."