Vivek Ramaswamy exits DOGE ahead of possible gubernatorial bid

Former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy will no longer be heading the Department of Government Efficiency alongside tech mogul Elon Musk, according to multiple reports.

Amid his departure from DOGE, Ramaswamy is expected to be announcing his bid for Ohio governor early next week.

Despite the swirling rumors surrounding Ramaswamy's exit, it appears that he has remained in Trump's inner circle.

“It became increasingly clear over the last week that pursuing the governor’s race and running DOGE [were] not compatible," one source told NBC News. "He’s leaving on good terms with Trump, Elon, and the team.”

Ramaswamy was a prominent figure in Trump's inner circle during the election, making frequent appearances alongside MAGA allies. However, many have noted that Ramaswamy has faded into the background following his controversial and unprompted take on H-1B visas.

Although Musk and President-elect Donald Trump publicly sided with Ramaswamy's stance on the visa program, several reports suggested that the controversy was unwelcome.

Ramaswamy was also rumored to be in the running to succeed Vice President-elect JD Vance as an Ohio senator. Republican Gov. Mike DeWine of Ohio eventually selected Lt. Gov. Jon Husted for the role, furthering speculation about Ramaswamy's gubernatorial bid.

Ahead of the inauguration, Ramaswamy responded to a parody account prematurely claiming that he had launched his candidacy for governor.

"Note - the below is a parody account," Ramaswamy said. "Not a bad idea, though."

Despite the swirling rumors surrounding Ramaswamy's exit, it appears that he has remained in Trump's inner circle. Notably, Ramaswamy was seen in the Capitol rotunda on Monday for Trump's inauguration.

"A new dawn," Ramaswamy said in a post on X in which he is pictured alongside Musk.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!