Tech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, who may run for governor of Ohio, has exited the 'Doge' program, leaving Elon Musk solely in charge of the government cost-cutting taskforce. This move came just hours after the inauguration of President Donald Trump, who had appointed Ramaswamy to lead the initiative alongside Musk.

Ramaswamy's decision to depart coincides with reports of his intention to pursue a gubernatorial run in Ohio, marking a shift in his career trajectory. He had been chosen by Trump to co-lead the non-governmental organization 'Doge' with Musk, a decision made last November.

The departure of Ramaswamy leaves Musk, the wealthiest individual globally, as the sole leader, a development that has raised concerns among some observers. Musk has previously suggested that federal spending could be reduced by "at least" $2 trillion, a stance that has sparked debate. Reports from Politico indicate that Musk had pushed for Ramaswamy's exit, a situation reportedly triggered by disagreements over the tech sector's capacity to hire foreign-born workers.

Anna Kelly, a spokesperson for the commission, stated, "Vivek Ramaswamy played a critical role in helping us create 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."

Ramaswamy expressed his views on X, formerly known as Twitter, now under Musk's ownership: "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!”

The 39-year-old, who previously ran for president in 2024 but withdrew after underperforming in the Iowa caucuses, sees an opportunity to revive his political ambitions as Ohio's incumbent governor, Republican Mike DeWine, faces term limits in 2027.

Musk's leadership of the 'Doge' program has been met with ethical concerns, given his company SpaceX's substantial defense contracts with the US government and potential benefits for Tesla, his electric-car company, from Trump administration policies.

Additionally, 'Doge' faced legal challenges soon after Trump's inauguration. A lawsuit alleged that the program violated federal transparency rules concerning disclosure, hiring, and other practices. The public interest law firm National Security Counselors argued that 'Doge' should be classified as a "federal advisory committee," a legal entity bound by regulations to ensure transparent and balanced advice to the government, but it fails to meet requirements such as having "fairly balanced" representation, maintaining records of meetings, and being open to public scrutiny, as mandated by law.