Vivek Ramaswamy, the former co-leader of the Department for Government Efficiency, was asked during an appearance on Fox News if he was fired from the advisory panel by Elon Musk.
“No, we had a mutual discussion and I wish him well, we’re on the same page, we’re divide and conquer and saving the country, it’s not a one-man show from the top down or the bottom up, it’s all of the above,” he said.
Ramaswamy was set to lead the advisory board alongside Musk, but he recently left the role amid rumors that he’s set to run for governor of Ohio after being passed over as a replacement in the Senate for Vice President J.D. Vance. During an interview with Fox News’s Jesse Watters on Monday night, Ramaswamy rejected the idea that Musk had fired him.
"People are saying you didn’t get along with Musk - what happened there?" Watters asked Ramaswamy.
“I think that’s incorrect, but what I would say is we had different and complementary approaches,” said Ramawamy.
"I focused more on a constitutional law, legislative-based approach, he focused more on a technology approach, which is the future approach, no better person to lead that technology, digital approach than Elon Musk, but when you’re talking about a constitutional revival, it’s not just done through the federal government, it’s done through federalism, where states also lead the way,” he added.
The 39-year-old said during the discussion with Watters that he’s “pursuing electoral office very soon.”
“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,” Trump-Vance transition spokesperson Anna Kelly told Spectrum News on January 20. “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!”
“It was my honor to help support the creation of DOGE,” Ramaswamy said on X at the time. “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!”
Vance’s top political advisers have joined Ramaswamy’s team ahead of the expected announcement that he will run for governor, according to NBC News. The biotech entrepreneur has known Vance since they both attended Yale Law School.
“Expect Vivek to announce his candidacy in mid-February,” a source told NBC.
Andy Surabian and Jai Chabria, who played important roles in Vance’s campaign for senate and vice president, are expected to join the Ramaswamy campaign.
“He’s leaving on good terms with Trump, Elon and the team,” a source told NBC on January 20 as Ramaswamy’s departure from DOGE reached the public eye.
A Republican Ohio operative, Chabria is set to serve as the campaign’s general consultant. Surabian took part in Trump’s earlier campaigns and also consulted on the campaign of Ohio Republican Sen. Bernie Moreno, who was elected last year. Surabian, a senior political adviser to Donald Trump Jr., will be in charge of an outside political group aligned with the entrepreneur, according to NBC.
