U.S. President-Elect Donald Trump and billionaire entrepreneurs Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy are set to visit Capitol Hill to discuss government reform with Republican congressional leaders, House Speaker Mike Johnson announced on Wednesday. The entrepreneurs will discuss their proposals to achieve regulatory rescissions, administrative reductions, and cost savings with GOP lawmakers. Musk and Ramaswamy have been named co-chairs of the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), with the goal of consulting with the White House Office of Management and Budget.
As co-chairs of DOGE, Musk and Ramaswamy have laid out a sweeping set of goals, including massive cuts to the federal workforce and the closure of numerous federal agencies and regulators. They also propose eliminating expenditures not authorized by Congress, as well as cutting federal funds for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, several international organizations, and Planned Parenthood.
Musk also suggested in a recent statement that the White House should “delete” the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, an independent agency. While many of their proposals would require congressional approval, it is unclear if they will be able to enact their ideas, as the results of several House races are still outstanding.
The meeting with Republican congressional leaders is seen as the latest indication that Republican leaders are taking Musk and Ramaswamy seriously, despite the potential challenges ahead. With a narrow majority in the House, leaders may face opposition from districts with significant federal employment bases.