DOGE wants to 'delete' entire federal agencies, Vivek Ramaswamy says
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- Vivek Ramaswamy, cohead of DOGE, said he expects to recommend the wholesale closure of some agencies.
- Ramaswamy and Elon Musk have been empowered by Trump to recommend big cuts to the state.
- Many cuts would require Congress to approve, though Ramaswamy has said there are loopholes.
Vivek Ramaswamy said to expect the abolishment of entire federal agencies as part of a sweeping restructure envisioned by DOGE.
Ramaswamy was last week named joint leader of the Department of Government Efficiency by President-elect Donald Trump. Its other leader is Elon Musk.
On Sunday morning, Ramaswamy appeared on Fox News and was asked about DOGE's plans for the future of federal agencies.
He gave few specifics but was bullish on the scope of change to come.
Will entire agencies be deleted? Answer: yes. pic.twitter.com/QPe5VNGDhr— Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRamaswamy) November 17, 2024
He said to expect "certain agencies to be deleted outright," reductions in head count for "bloated" areas of government, and "massive" cuts to federal contracting.
On the campaign trail, Trump pledged to abolish the Department of Education, describing the agency as a means to "indoctrinate America's youth."
Maria Bartiromo, the Fox host interviewing Ramaswamy, mentioned the Department of Education as a possible cut, but Ramaswamy instead answered in general terms.
Though Ramaswamy spoke in sweeping terms of cuts to come, enacting them may be harder. DOGE is not a formal government department, and can only make recommendations.
It would be up to Trump and his Republican allies in Congress to try to enact them.
Business Insider's Jack Newsham reported last week that, with Republicans in control of both chambers, DOGE may have some success in cutting government spending and red tape.
Eliminating federal agencies could be a hard ask though. They are generally created by Congress and could require difficult votes to abolish.
Republicans have a majority in the Senate, but too few seats for a 60-vote supermajority. GOP control of the House also rests on a thin majority.
Ramaswamy, in his own presidential bid, advocated for the elimination of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the FBI.
In his plans, Ramaswamy cited obscure laws that could empower a president to make large cuts, such as the 1977 Reorganization Act that mandates a presidential review of the size of government.
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