U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has chosen Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy to lead the new “Department of Government Efficiency”. This department is meant to bring large-scale reforms to government.
Elon Musk, a billionaire and owner of SpaceX and Tesla, has no background in politics. However, he has made statements supporting Russia on Ukraine, suggesting that territory be given up to Moscow for peace.
Vivek Ramaswamy, another wealthy entrepreneur, was a Republican candidate for president but later supported Trump. He also opposed sending military aid to Ukraine.
Musk has been praised and criticized in Ukraine. He helped the country get internet access through his Starlink network early on in the invasion. However, he then made comments that many Ukrainians found annoying and even hurtful. These included saying that Ukrainian territory should be exchanged for a peace deal with Russia.
The Department of Government Efficiency is not an official government agency. Instead, it will provide guidance from outside the government. Musk was first mentioned as possible leader of this department in September.
Ramaswamy made headlines by calling Ukraine’s president “Nazi“. He also suggested that occupied territories should be recognized as Russian since they are “Russian speaking”.
Other key appointments include Kristi Noem, who will lead Homeland Security and has said Russia’s invasion is “not our fight.” Michael Waltz was named national security advisor, but his views on aid to Ukraine have changed over time.