President Trump’s new “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE) was sued multiple times before his inauguration ceremony in the Capitol Rotunda concluded.
In the moments after Trump’s swearing-in, three lawsuits were filed in D.C.’s federal district court alleging DOGE doesn’t comply with the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA).
The cases were led by progressive consumer watchdog Public Citizen, the American Public Health Association and National Security Counselors, a public interest law firm. They seek to block co-heads Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy from moving forward or coordinating with the new administration.
Musk and Ramaswamy have pledged ambitious plans to cut $2 trillion in government spending and restructure federal agencies, though Ramaswamy is also planning to run for Ohio governor.
The three cases were some of the first lawsuits filed against the new Trump administration after the president took the oath of office in the Capitol.
The lawsuits come as Ramaswamy is reportedly stepping down from his role to pursue a campaign for governor of Ohio. An official announcement is anticipated by the end of January, signaling a significant shift in the 39-year-old business leader’s political aspirations. (RELATED: Vivek Ramaswamy To Step Away From DOGE: Political Aspirations Take Priority)
Sources close to the situation suggest that frustration has been building among DOGE staffers, as well as Musk himself, over Ramaswamy’s perceived limited engagement in the task force’s operations. “Vivek has worn out his welcome,” a Trump confidant told CBS News, summing up the internal sentiment:
Ramaswamy recently met with Ohio’s sitting governor, Mike DeWine, about the state’s Senate seat left vacant by Vice President-elect JD Vance. But on Friday, DeWine announced he is appointing his lieutenant governor to the post.
Ramaswamy, who sought the GOP nomination in 2024, was at Mar-a-Lago, the president’s West Palm Beach, Florida, estate during the transition. Sources said he was spotted at the bar with Musk one day, scratching out plans for DOGE on a napkin. But the pair haven’t worked closely for a while, sources said.
The decision was reportedly solidified last week when DeWine passed over Ramaswamy in favor of Lieutenant Governor Jon Husted to fill the Senate seat left vacant by Vance. This development appears to have provided Ramaswamy the clarity to shift his focus toward a gubernatorial bid.
