Washington: Vivek Ramaswamy, the Indian-origin Republican leader, has pulled out of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), an initiative spearheaded by US President Donald Trump to streamline the administration. This decision comes amid a clash with Tesla CEO Elon Musk over controversial comments Ramaswamy made regarding H-1B visas.

The tension came to light hours after Trump’s inauguration, when Ramaswamy announced he would not co-lead DOGE with Musk. Musk, reportedly frustrated by Ramaswamy's comments on X about the prioritization of foreign-born engineers over native talent, allegedly pushed for his removal. A source familiar with the situation told Politico, “They wanted him out before the tweet – but kicked him to the curb when that came out.”

Ramaswamy’s post, which went viral with over 118 million views, argued that American companies prioritised foreign-born engineers because of a “cultural veneration of mediocrity over excellence.” This sparked widespread debate, with many Republicans growing frustrated with him. According to the Politico report, Musk’s influence over the new administration was clear when he insisted Ramaswamy step aside from DOGE, citing concerns about his upcoming campaign for Ohio Governor.

An insider revealed that Musk did not believe it was feasible for Ramaswamy to campaign for governor while also being involved in DOGE. “Musk made it clear that he wanted Ramaswamy out of DOGE,” the report noted.

Ramaswamy had been writing executive orders for DOGE and maintaining he was still active with the task force, but according to sources, he had done little DOGE-related work since early December. As of last week, Ramaswamy had been hoping to achieve significant milestones before his planned exit to focus on his governor’s run.

Despite the tensions, a source close to Ramaswamy stated, “The reality is that it wasn’t possible” to run for governor and co-lead DOGE “both at once.” Ramaswamy is now reportedly trying to present his exit in a positive light, especially since it coincides with Trump’s administration beginning its term.

While Ramaswamy chose not to publicly comment on his falling out with Musk, the two were seen shaking hands in a photo Ramaswamy posted on Monday with the caption, "A new dawn."