Washington DC [US], January 21: Indian-origin entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy will cease to co-lead the Department of Government Efficiency with Tesla CEO Elon Musk, as declared by Ramaswamy shortly after the inauguration of US President Donald Trump on Monday (local time).

Ramaswamy intends to declare his candidacy for Governor of Ohio next week, according to Politico.

In a post on X, he said, “It was my privilege to assist in the development of DOGE.” I am convinced that Elon and his team will succeed in optimizing government operations. I will provide more details shortly on my future plans in Ohio. Crucially, we are fully committed to assisting President Trump in restoring America’s greatness.

Musk recently expressed his desire for Ramaswamy to leave DOGE, according to individuals who spoke to Politico on the condition of anonymity.

A Republican consultant affiliated with Trump aides said, “Ramaswamy has irreparably severed ties and ultimately alienated Elon.” “All desire his removal from Mar-a-Lago and Washington, D.C.”

According to Politico, the H1-B visa controversy was the decisive factor in his downfall. In late December, Ramaswamy condemned American culture, asserting that technology firms use foreign labor partly due to a national mentality that has “venerated mediocrity over excellence,” as reported by Politico.

In a statement, Trump transition spokesman Anna Kelly commended Ramaswamy, asserting he “played a pivotal role in assisting us in the creation of DOGE” and that his gubernatorial campaign “necessitates his detachment from DOGE in accordance with the structure we disclosed today.”

A source informed Politico that Musk and Ramaswamy had established amicable relations, stating that “the reality is that it wasn’t feasible” to simultaneously campaign for governor and co-lead DOGE.

A significant rift developed among Donald Trump’s MAGA team, when Musk and Ramaswamy, proponents of expanding the visa program for ‘highly qualified workers,’ encountered substantial opposition from the President-elect’s constituency, according to CNN.

In a series of tweets on X (previously Twitter), Musk underscored the need of recruiting premier technical talent to sustain America’s technological superiority. “The quantity of exceptionally talented and highly motivated engineers in the USA is significantly insufficient.”

No, we need around double that amount from yesterday!

The quantity of exceptionally skilled and highly driven engineers in the USA is significantly inadequate.

Consider this analogous to a professional sports team: to secure a championship victory, it is essential to attract elite players from all available sources.

Ramaswamy, a first-generation American and Trump’s pick to head the Department of Government Efficiency, mirrored Musk’s thoughts. He contended that cultural stagnation and an inclination towards mediocrity had resulted in a dependence on foreign-born brilliance.

The rationale for leading technology firms often employing foreign-born and first-generation engineers instead of native Americans is not attributable to an inherent deficiency in American intelligence, which is a simplistic and erroneous justification. A fundamental aspect pertains to the concept of culture. Challenging inquiries need resolute responses, and if…— Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRamaswamy) December 26, 2024

During a speech on Sunday, Trump discussed DOGE and did not suggest that any modifications were forthcoming. He said, “We have [Musk] and Vivek, along with several exceptional individuals, collaborating on a project referred to as costs.”