Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy are prominent figures in technology and business, recently appointed by President-elect Donald Trump to co-chair the proposed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
Elon Musk
Born on June 28, 1971, in Pretoria, South Africa, Elon Musk is a renowned entrepreneur and engineer. He co-founded Zip2, an online city guide software company, which was sold to Compaq in 1999. Musk then co-founded X.com, an online payment company that became PayPal, acquired by eBay in 2002. In 2002, he founded SpaceX, aiming to reduce space transportation costs and enable Mars colonization. As CEO and lead designer, he has overseen the development of the Falcon and Starship rockets. In 2004, Musk joined Tesla Motors, Inc. (now Tesla, Inc.) as chairman and later became CEO and product architect, leading the company in producing electric vehicles and renewable energy products. He also founded Neuralink, focusing on brain–computer interface technology, and The Boring Company, which constructs tunnels to alleviate urban traffic. In 2022, Musk acquired Twitter (now X), a social media platform.
Vivek Ramaswamy
Vivek Ramaswamy, born on August 9, 1985, in Cincinnati, Ohio, is an American entrepreneur and author. He graduated from Harvard College with a bachelor’s degree in biology and later earned a J.D. from Yale Law School. Ramaswamy founded Roivant Sciences in 2014, a biopharmaceutical company known for acquiring and developing underappreciated drug candidates. He also co-founded Strive Asset Management, focusing on promoting excellence over politics in corporate governance. In 2024, Ramaswamy ran for the Republican presidential nomination, advocating for conservative policies such as abolishing the Department of Education and reducing foreign aid. After suspending his campaign, he endorsed Donald Trump.
Department of Government Efficiency
In November 2024, President-elect Trump announced the formation of the Department of Government Efficiency, appointing Musk and Ramaswamy as co-chairs. The department aims to streamline government operations, reduce bureaucracy, and eliminate wasteful spending. Musk’s technological expertise and Ramaswamy’s business acumen are expected to drive innovative reforms in federal operations. The establishment of DOGE requires congressional approval, and its success will depend on the collaboration between these leaders and legislative bodies.
Both Musk and Ramaswamy have expressed commitments to enhancing governmental efficiency, leveraging their experiences to implement entrepreneurial approaches within the public sector.