Vivek Ramaswamy to Axios: DOGE not planning cuts to Social Security, Medicare
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Photo: Aspen Security Forum/Julian Haber
Vivek Ramaswamy told Axios' Mike Allen at the Aspen Security Forum that it would be premature for his new efficiency commission — which he's co-leading with Elon Musk — to discuss sweeping cuts to Social Security, Medicare or Medicaid.
Why it matters: Those programs are by far the biggest lines in the federal budget, making them ripe targets for a commission with a mandate to slash spending. But cutting entitlements is also the third rail of American politics.
Ramaswamy said Wednesday that the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) will look for waste and fraud in those programs, including people receiving payments who shouldn't be.
- But wholesale cuts to entitlements is "a policy decision that belongs to the voters" and their representatives in Congress, Ramaswamy said.
What he's saying: "Right now, there are hundreds of billions of dollars flowing out the door of all of those programs ending up in the hands of people who, even under the statute, should not be receiving those payments," Ramaswamy contended.
The big picture: Trump last month tapped Ramaswamy and Musk to run the new, non-governmental efficiency commission.
- The specifics of DOGE are still murky. But Trump has signaled he wants to give Musk and Ramaswamy broad authority to cut what they see as bloat within the government.
- Ramaswamy said he expects DOGE to recommend major cuts to the federal workforce as part of a broader mission to shrink the unelected "fourth branch of government."
Zoom in: Ramaswamy, who mounted an unsuccessful bid for president himself, became a vocal Trump ally following the GOP primary and became a possible contender to serve as Trump's running mate.
Editor's note: This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
Go deeper: Musk and Ramaswamy take to X to recruit "revolutionaries" for DOGE
