Elon Musk accused of pushing Vivek Ramaswamy out of DOGE after Republican backlash over H-1B debate
New discussions surrounding the Trump inner circle insist that Elon Musk is responsible for Vivek Ramaswamy's DOGE exit. Others cite his gubernatorial bid.
Donald Trump brought in Silicon Valley tycoons Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy to run his new administration’s so-called Department of Government Efficiency with plans to cut a whopping amount of government waste. The temporary cost-cutting program has already dropped weight, as the Indian-origin entrepreneur is reportedly parting ways with it, leaving DOGE in the hands of the billionaire Tesla boss.

Ramaswamy’s abrupt pivot away from Trump’s endeavours aligns with reports of his interest in launching a governor's run for his home state, Ohio. Consequently, it also follows up on incendiary developments that pushed the MAGA gang to take up arms against Vivek.
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Vivek Ramaswamy's take on the H-1B debate fuelled alleged fallout with Elon Musk
In late December, he criticised American culture, weighing in on the H-1B visas debate. Ramaswamy unleashed his fury, typing out a strongly worded tweet about how companies are keen on hiring foreign workers because the US pushes for “venerated mediocrity over excellence,” resulting in a nation that does “not produce the best engineers.”
“They wanted him out before the tweet – but kicked him to the curb when that came out,” a source familiar with Vivek’s DOGE departure told Politico.
The insider, along with two others who recognise Elon Musk’s preferences, alleged that it was ultimately the SpaceX leader who kicked his supposed pal to the curb after the heated visa debate drove a wedge between them. A Republican strategist close to Trump said Ramaswamy “burned through the bridges, and he finally burned Elon.”
Elon’s purported ability to achieve the end to the means has again consolidated his influence in the Trump inner circle, as “everyone wants” Vivek “out of Mar-a-Lago, out of DC.”
Others cite Vivek Ramaswamy's looming governor bid announcement as DOGE exit reason
Yet another insider close to the DOGE contended that Musk didn’t deem it feasible for Ramaswamy to run for governor while simultaneously being attached to DOGE.
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Meanwhile, another countered the vision, saying that the OG DOGE duo is actually on good terms. They also insisted that Vivek walking out on DOGE is merely attributed to the impossibility of running for office and co-leading the program “both at once.”
“He’s leaving DOGE. He’s going to announce early next week for governor,” a source said, per NBC News. “It became increasingly clear over the last week that pursuing the governor’s race and running DOGE was not compatible. He’s leaving on good terms with Trump, Elon and the team.”
Additionally, Trump transition spokesperson Anna Kelly praised the biotech entrepreneur for his indispensable role in DOGE’s establishment. “He intends to run for elected office soon, which requires him to remain outside of DOGE based on the structure that we announced today,” she noted. “We thank him immensely for his contributions over the last 2 months and expect him to play a vital role in making America great again!”
