President-elect Donald Trump announced Tuesday that Elon Musk and former GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy will head a newly created advisory group, the “Department of Government Efficiency,” which will aim to improve federal efficiency without operating as a government agency. The name’s acronym, “DOGE,” appears to be a nod to Musk's favorite cryptocurrency, Dogecoin. Trump stated that Musk and Ramaswamy will work from outside the government to offer the White House "advice and guidance," and will collaborate with the Office of Management and Budget to promote significant structural reforms, bringing what he calls an “entrepreneurial approach to Government” that could “shock government systems.”

While the exact framework of this advisory group remains unclear, it could potentially fall under the Federal Advisory Committee Act, which mandates public accountability and transparency for external groups advising the government.

This advisory role comes without the strict ethics and disclosure requirements typically applied to federal employees, as Musk and Ramaswamy will remain private citizens. Federal workers must disclose their assets to avoid conflicts of interest, but these rules won’t apply to Musk and Ramaswamy, as they are not taking formal government positions.

Musk shared his enthusiasm on social media platform X, writing, "Department of Government Efficiency. The merch will be (fire emojis)," followed by a humorous remark: “Threat to democracy? Nope, threat to BUREAUCRACY!”

Trump and Musk have discussed a potential advisory role since Trump’s election, with Musk reportedly suggesting he could identify up to $2 trillion in potential government savings — about one-third of the annual federal budget. However, Trump has clarified that Musk would not take on a full-time role, given his ongoing commitments. “I don’t think I can get him full-time because he’s a little bit busy sending rockets up and all the things he does,” Trump noted at a Michigan rally.

Ramaswamy, who suspended his own presidential campaign in January and endorsed Trump, will join Musk in this initiative. According to Trump, the pair will work to “dismantle government bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure federal agencies” in alignment with his administration’s goals.