Why Vivek Ramaswamy abruptly resigned from DOGE after Donald Trump took office

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Hours after Donald Trump took oath as the 47th President of the United States, Indian-origin entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy will no longer be a part of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) for which Mr Trump selected him to lead alongside billionaire Elon Musk, the White House said.


Ramaswamy, 39, who had an unsuccessful run in the Republican presidential race, has signalled his plans to run for the governor of Ohio.


"It was my honor to help support the creation of DOGE. I'm confident that Elon & team will succeed in streamlining government. I'll have more to say very soon about my future plans in Ohio. Most importantly, we're all-in to help President Trump make America great again," Mr Ramaswamy said in a post on X.


It was my honor to help support the creation of DOGE. I'm confident that Elon & team will succeed in streamlining government. I'll have more to say very soon about my future plans in Ohio. Most importantly, we're all-in to help President Trump make America great again! 🇺🇸 https://t.co/f1YFZm8X13
— Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRamaswamy) January 20, 2025



Ramaswamy, who is now a close confidant of Mr Trump and Vice President JD Vance, was tapped by Mr Trump in November last year, to be co-leader of DOGE with Mr Musk.


Meanwhile, the government efficiency advisory group in a statement, praised Ramaswamy for his "critical role" in helping to form DOGE.


"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 two months and expect him to play a vital role in making America great again," Anna Kelly, a spokesperson for the government efficiency advisory group said in a statement.


Born to Indian parents in Cincinnati, Ramaswamy studied at Harvard University and then Yale Law School. He made millions at the intersection of hedge funds and pharmaceutical research.


Earlier, The Washington Post reported that Ramaswamy was planning to announce his decision to run for Ohio governor.


"Vivek's base plan remains [the] same: to get accomplishments at DOGE and then announce a run for governor shortly," an Ohio operative familiar with Ramaswamy's thinking, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, told The Washington Post.


"The statement is drafted. It is ready," the person said Ramaswamy told them. If elected, he would replace Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, who is restricted with term limits. The Ohio election is scheduled for November 2026.