Who may replace Elon Musk as head of DOGE? Vivek Ramaswamy, Tom Krause, Amy Gleason or a dark horse like...

Who will replace Elon Musk as the head of the US Department Of Government Efficiency? This question has cropped up after the Tesla CEO quit the Donald Trump administration 2.0 as a Special Government Employee on Wednesday. Though the billionaire entrepreneur did not blink after he was severely slammed for his reforms and sacking of hundreds of federal employees, he had a second thought after his EV behemoth suffered losses and he was asked to quit. The X CEO chose to quit the DOGE instead. 

As my scheduled time as a Special Government Employee comes to an end, I would like to thank President @realDonaldTrump for the opportunity to reduce wasteful spending.

The @DOGE mission will only strengthen over time as it becomes a way of life throughout the government.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 29, 2025

Taking to X, the SpaceX CEO wrote in a post on the social media platform, "As my scheduled time as a Special Government Employee comes to an end, I would like to thank President  @realDonaldTrump for the opportunity to reduce wasteful spending."

Who may replace Elon Musk as DOGE chief?

Though US President Donald Trump has not dropped a hint on who may replace Elon Musk as the DOGE chief, certain names are doing the rounds. Several contenders are there and the president may choose any of them as a successor of Musk. 

Vivek Ramaswamy

Politician of Indian origin, Vivek Ramaswamy, who initially challenged Donald Trump for the candidature of the Republican, is one of the most important contenders. His experience of handling the DOGE as the co-lead along with Elon Musk may see him surging ahead. He quit the DOGE after he decided to try his luck for Ohio governor. Being close to the president and having Indian roots may help him get the office. 

(Vivek Ramaswamy, Former Republican Presidential contender)

Tom Krause

Fiscal Assistant Secretary of the Treasury, Ton Krause, is considered a prominent person in designing and implementing the fiscal policy. However, he is also the CEO of Cloud Software Group and the double role may trigger allegations of a clash of interest. Despite this, his experience of having worked both in the private and public sectors may make him a strong contender. 

Luke Farritor

Luke Farritor is a software engineer with experience in Artificial Intelligence, he has already worked with DOGE. Earlier, he had worked with SpaceX. His experience of handling and understanding the government system may help him clinch the coveted office. 

Marko Elez

Earlier associated with the DOGE, Marko Elez has also worked with the Treasury Department and had access to critical financial infrastructure. His understanding of the federal payment system may help him get the post. 

(Amy Gleason, Acting Administrator, DOGE)

Amy Gleason

The present Acting Director of the DOGE, Amy Gleason, has earlier worked with the US Digital Service, the predecessor to DOGE. She works with the White House Chief of Staff, Susie Wiles and has worked for a number of federal departments and agencies.