‘A lot of waste’: Blackburn and Ramaswamy talk DOGE cuts
President-Elect Donald Trump has tapped Vivek Ramaswamy, alongside tech billionaire Elon Musk, to head the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Ramaswamy recently shared that there are several “low-hanging fruit” areas where significant waste can be eliminated through executive action once Trump takes office.
Ramaswamy emphasized the need to focus on areas within the executive branch where unauthorized spending is occurring, leading to waste, fraud, and abuse. He also highlighted the importance of addressing inefficiencies in entitlement programs to reduce frictional costs. By taking action, Ramaswamy aims to bring the administrative state back to a size that aligns with the vision of the founding fathers.
In a recent podcast with Republican Sen. Marsha Blackburn, Ramaswamy discussed the importance of making the government more efficient and accountable. He emphasized the need to cut down on defense spending while ensuring the effectiveness of expenditures. Ramaswamy and Musk took to X (formerly Twitter) to express their commitment to focusing on defense spending cuts as part of their work with the DOGE advisory panel.
DOGE is set to expire in July 2026, coinciding with the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Ramaswamy referenced President Reagan’s famous quote about government programs having eternal life, expressing his belief that it doesn’t have to be that way. He emphasized the importance of enacting legislative reforms to improve government efficiency and accountability.
Blackburn has introduced legislation to freeze federal salary increases and hiring until DOGE recommendations are implemented. She also proposed a bill to reform the federal workforce by shifting from tenure-based promotions to a merit-based system. Trump’s announcement of the Department of Government Efficiency signals his administration’s commitment to slashing regulations, cutting wasteful expenditures, and restructuring federal agencies.
House Republicans are also taking steps to reduce spending, with Rep. Stephanie Bice introducing the Decreasing Overlapping Grants Efficiently (DOGE) Act. This bill aims to streamline government grants across departments to eliminate redundancies. Ramaswamy emphasized the importance of engaging the public in identifying areas of government waste and bureaucracy to make the reform efforts more inclusive.
As Congress prepares to implement the recommendations of the DOGE commission, the focus remains on making the government more efficient and accountable. The collaborative efforts of leaders like Ramaswamy, Musk, and Blackburn signal a commitment to driving meaningful change and reducing waste in the federal government.
