EXCLUSIVE: The nation’s Republican governors are making clear their “overwhelming support” for President-elect Trump’s planned “Department of Government Efficiency,” better known by its acronym DOGE.
In a letter to Congressional leaders that was shared first with Fox News on Friday, the governors said they fully support DOGE and emphasized the importance of balancing the federal budget.
“As chief executives for our states, we know a thing or two about streamlining government, removing unnecessary bureaucracy, and bringing efficient, result-driven solutions to state government. We stand by President Trump as he works to do the same with the federal government,” the governors said.
AMERICA’S NEWEST GOVERNOR TAKES PAGE FROM TRUMP BY SETTING UP DOGE-LIKE COMMISSION
Tesla CEO Elon Musk, Co-Chair of the newly announced Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), arrives on Capitol Hill with his son on December 05, 2024 in Washington, DC. Musk and his Co-Chair, businessman Vivek Ramaswamy met with lawmakers today about DOGE, a planned presidential advisory commission with the goal of cutting government spending and increasing efficiency in the federal workforce. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) (Anna Moneymaker)
Days after his presidential election victory in November, Trump tapped Elon Musk, the world’s richest person, and former Republican presidential candidate and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy to steer DOGE.
The House of Representatives has set up an oversight subcommittee and the Senate has formed a DOGE caucus to work with Musk and Ramaswamy.
QUESTIONS YOU HAVE ABOUT DOGE ARE ANSWERED HERE
The governors highlighted that “our states are successful because we live within our means. We balance our budgets, lower taxes, leverage surpluses, pay down debt, improve the efficiency of state governments, and create an environment where our constituents can build a prosperous future for themselves, their family, and their community.”
Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy are leading the effort to cut government inefficiency. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
And they emphasized that “it is past time for Washington to live within its means too. We support President Trump’s appointment of Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy and agree with their assertion that the federal government needs to be cut down to size. We stand ready to help.”
Led by the Republican Governors Association (RGA) policy chair Gov. Henry McMaster of South Carolina, the letter was also signed by RGA chair Gov. Brian Kemp of Georgia and 24 other GOP governors.
President-elect Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with Republican governors at Mar-a-Lago, on Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025, in Palm Beach, Fla., as Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, Lousiana Gov. Jeff Landry, and South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster listen. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
They are Govs. Kay Ivey of Alabama, Mike Dunleavy of Alaska, Sarah Sanders of Arkansas, Ron DeSantis of Florida, Brad Little of Idaho, Eric Holcomb of Indiana, Kim Reynolds of Iowa, Jeff Landry of Louisiana, Tate Reeves of Mississippi, Mike Parson of Missouri, Greg Gianforte of Montana, Jim Pillen of Nebraska, Joe Lombardo of Nevada, Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire, Kelly Armstrong of North Dakota, Mike DeWine of Ohio, Kevin Stitt of Oklahoma, Kristi Noem of South Dakota, Bill Lee of Tennessee, Greg Abbott of Texas, Spencer Cox of Utah, Glenn Youngkin of Virginia, Jim Justice of West Virginia, and Mark Gordon of Wyoming.
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The only one of the 27 Republican governors who didn’t sign the letter was Gov. Phil Scott of Vermont. While a longstanding member of the RGA, Scott has a history of not attaching his name to many of their letters.
The letter was sent the day after many of the GOP governors dined with Trump at his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida.
