Trump appoints Elon Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy to lead new Department of Government Efficiency

The president-elect has set a deadline of July 4, 2026, to ‘drive out the massive waste and fraud’ in the U.S. government.

President-elect Donald Trump announced that Elon Musk will lead a new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) with businessman and former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy.

“Together, these two wonderful Americans will pave the way for my Administration to dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal agencies — Essential to the ‘Save America’ Movement,” Trump announced Tuesday on Truth Social.

Trump explained that the agency will “provide advice and guidance from outside of government and will partner with the White House and Office of Management & Budget to drive large scale structural reform, and create an entrepreneurial approach to government never seen before.”

The president assigned the duo a deadline of July 4, 2026, to “drive out the massive waste and fraud” that plagues our government budget, which has reached a mammoth size: $6.5 trillion per year.

Mogul and X owner Musk, who has been outspoken about the big problem of government waste, noted Tuesday that if the government is not made efficient, the country will go “bankrupt.”

He reposted a clip from a recent talk he gave in which he explained that not only is our defense budget “pretty gigantic” — a trillion dollars —but the interest the U.S. now owes on its debt is higher than this.

“This is not sustainable. That’s why we need the Department of Government Efficiency,” Musk said.

The U.S. debt has doubled since 2015 to reach $35.46 trillion, according to statistics shared by investor Mario Nawfal.

Musk has also shared to X reports that the Government Accountability Office “estimates the federal government wastes $247B in taxpayer money each year,” and that the Department of the Treasury reported $24.5B in “unreconciled transactions” — which means unknown items — in the past.

Ramaswamy has similarly called for a “massive downsizing” of government bureaucracy after his appointment to DOGE.

Musk responded on X, “This is the only way.”

Ramaswamy has made clear, as has Musk, that cutting regulations is a key part of their mission at DOGE. Ramaswamy maintains that “eliminating bureaucratic regulations isn’t a mere policy preference” but “a legal *mandate* from the U.S. Supreme Court.” He cited on X the Supreme Court decision that, for example, “agencies cannot decide major questions of economic or political significance without ‘clear congressional authorization.’”

Musk shared Tuesday that all DOGE actions “will be posted online for maximum transparency,” adding, “Anytime the public thinks we are cutting something important or not cutting something wasteful, just let us know!”

Commentators have observed that Musk has already demonstrated a knack for organizational efficiency through his streamlining of the social media platform Twitter, which Musk rebranded as X.

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Trump to impose 30% tariff on EU, Mexico

Published on July 13, 2025

Todayville

From The Center Square

By Dan McCaleb

President Donald Trump on Saturday said he will impose 30% tariffs on imported goods from the European Union and Mexico in his latest move to balance trade between the U.S. and other countries.

The tariffs are set to go into effect Aug. 1.

Saturday’s announcement comes a day after the U.S. Department of Treasury released a report Friday showing that tariff revenue helped revenue in the month of June exceed expenses by $27 billion.

“We have had years to discuss our Trading Relationship with The European Union, and we have concluded we must move away from these long-term, large, and persistent, Trade Deficits, engendered by your Tariff, and Non-Tariff, Policies, and Trade Barriers,” Trump wrote in the letter to the EU and posted on his Truth Social account. “Our relationship has been, unfortunately, far from Reciprocal.”

The 30% tariff on EU goods is higher than expected. EU trade ministers are scheduled to meet Monday and could agree to increase tariffs on U.S. goods as retaliation.

In his letter to Mexico, Trump said the U.S. neighbor to the south has helped stem the flow of illegal narcotics and people from entering the country but added that it needed to do more to prevent North America from being a “Narco-Trafficking Playground.”

Earlier in the week, Trump announced new tariffs on several other countries, including 20% tariffs on imports from the Philippines; 25% on Brunei and Moldova; 30% on Algeria, Iraq and Libya; and 50% on Brazil.

All of the new tariffs announced this week are scheduled to go into effect Aug. 1.

• The Center Square reporters Therese Boudreaux and Andrew Rice contributed to this report.

Dan McCaleb

Executive Editor

illegal immigration

ICE raids California pot farm, uncovers illegal aliens and child labor

Published on July 13, 2025

Todayville

MxM News

Quick Hit:

ICE raided a California cannabis farm Thursday suspected of employing illegal immigrants, uncovering 10 underage workers — including 8 unaccompanied minors. The operation sparked protests, but federal officials defended the action as a necessary crackdown on illegal labor and child exploitation.

Key Details:

ICE agents executed a lawful raid at Glass House Farms in Camarillo, targeting illegal immigrant laborers employed at the state-licensed cannabis operation.
Ten underage illegal immigrants were found working at the site — eight of them unaccompanied minors — prompting a federal investigation into potential child labor violations.
Protesters attempted to interfere with the operation and were dispersed by federal agents using crowd control measures; multiple arrests and injuries were reported.

🚨BREAKING: ICE just swarmed Ventura County fields, hauling away the very farm workers who keep America’s produce aisles stocked.

We’re arresting assets; treating the backbone of our food chain like a threat. That’s not “border security.” That’s self-sabotage in uniform. pic.twitter.com/GgZvnXbVsd

— Brian Allen (@allenanalysis) July 10, 2025

Diving Deeper:

Federal immigration agents executed a large-scale raid Thursday at a cannabis farm in Camarillo, California, targeting illegal immigrant laborers and uncovering possible child labor violations. The operation, led by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), took place at Glass House Farms, a state-licensed marijuana facility that remains illegal under federal law.

Dozens of agents stormed the property with a federal warrant, encountering resistance from left-wing protesters who attempted to disrupt the operation. Agents responded with tear gas and smoke devices, and helicopters were deployed to ensure no suspects could flee or hide in nearby fields. Authorities later confirmed that 10 minors were working at the facility—eight of whom were unaccompanied illegal aliens.

Despite clear evidence of immigration and labor violations, California Democrats rushed to attack the enforcement action. Governor Gavin Newsom lashed out on social media, posting video of people running from the scene. Rep. Salud Carbajal called the raid “deplorable,” complaining about the use of tactical gear.

Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott pushed back, calling out Newsom directly. “Here’s some breaking news: 10 juveniles were found at this marijuana facility – all illegal aliens, 8 of them unaccompanied,” he posted on X. “It’s now under investigation for child labor violations.”

While California officials cried foul, ICE defended the operation as necessary and lawful. The raid is part of a broader push under President Trump to enforce federal immigration laws and shut down operations that exploit illegal labor to undercut American workers.

The clash in Camarillo follows similar enforcement actions earlier this week in Los Angeles, where ICE also faced hostility from local officials. Nonetheless, the Trump administration appears undeterred, making clear that sanctuary policies will not shield illegal activity from federal scrutiny.