Vivek Ramaswamy to leave DOGE to run for Ohio governor: White House

Amid reports of tensions with Elon Musk, the White House confirmed Vivek Ramaswamy has left the Department of Government Efficiency to campaign to be governor of Ohio.

US entrepreneur and former Republican presidential hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy is reportedly planning to leave DOGE, which Elon Musk co-heads. Picture: AFP.

The White House has confirmed that Vivek Ramaswamy has left the Department of Government Efficiency to campaign to be governor of Ohio.

On Monday (AEDT) CBS reported that as tensions rose between the biotech billionaire and co-head of DOGE Elon Musk, Mr Musk’s supporters had been privately undercutting Mr Ramaswamy for weeks, frustrated with his “lack of participation in the heavy lifting”.

Biotechnology entrepreneur Mr Ramaswamy, 39, is planning to announce a campaign for Ohio governor at the end of January, according to multiple reports in US media.

However according to CBS TV, the former Republican presidential hopeful has been “subtly encouraged to exit” DOGE, which aims to reduce government spending by up to $2 trillion by 2026, as friction with Mr Musk’s team deepens.

CBS reports that Mr Musk’s supporters have privately undercut Mr Ramaswamy for weeks, frustrated with his “lack of participation in the heavy lifting”.

A Trump transition spokesman confirmed on Tuesday (AEDT) that Mr Ramaswamy is leaving DOGE to run for governor or Ohio.

“He intends to run for elected office soon, which requires him to remain outside of DOGE based on the structure that we announced today. We thank him immensely for his contributions over the last 2 months and expect him to play a vital role in making America great again,” she said.

“Vivek has worn out his welcome,” one person close to Mr Trump told CBS on Monday.

Mr Ramaswamy decided to run for Ohio governor when the current governor, Mike DeWine, passed him over as replacement for JD Vance in the Senate on Friday, instead choosing his lieutenant governor Jon Huster, according to the Politico website.

However Politico also reports that Mr Trump’s allies saw Mr Ramaswamy’s potential gubernatorial campaign as a way to clear a path for Mr Musk to take over at DOGE.

“Elon basically runs the show,” a Trump adviser said, adding: “Time is their biggest enemy. We’ll see.”

Mr has said he plans to embark next week on one of the most sweeping deregulatory drives in US history, slashing at rules emanating from every channel of executive authority.

The Wall St Journal reports that Mr Musk and Mr Ramswamy are planning to work with Russell Vought, Mr Trump’s pick to lead the Office of Management and Budget. Mr Vought wants to dismantle what he calls the “administrative state,” and challenge career civil servants.

“The president has promised the American people a federal government that works for all Americans, not the interests of bureaucrats,” Mr Vought said last week during his Senate confirmation hearing.

Republican members of Congress have rallied behind the government-shrinking effort. “We must streamline and reduce the administrative state to bring federal agencies back within the confines of their legislative mandates, ” congressman Jim Cramer wrote in a letter to Mr Musk and Mr Ramaswamy reviewed by The Wall Street Journal.