Ramaswamy says Trump offered cabinet post; DOGE split with Musk over deregulation as Ohio governorship looms

Vivek Ramaswamy told The New York Post's Pod Force One that President Trump offered him a cabinet position after the 2024 election, though he did not specify which post. He also described how he and Elon Musk disagreed over how to run DOGE, the Department of Government Efficiency, a cost‑cutting initiative that was announced after Trump won. Ramaswamy said he would have preferred a temporary DOGE assignment before launching his bid to lead Ohio, but he framed leaving the administration before the 47th president was sworn in as a strategic decision. By January, it became public that Ramaswamy had left DOGE to focus on his bid to be governor of Ohio, his home state.

To Miranda Devine, he said there were a couple of cabinet posts discussed, without naming them. He emphasized a deregulation focus for DOGE and noted that he was already set on running for Ohio governor, suggesting his short tenure could have been useful if he had stayed longer in the administration. He described deregulation as central to his policy outlook, arguing that removing burdensome rules is essential to unlocking investment and growth for the economy.

In a November op‑ed, Musk and Ramaswamy teased their plan to use DOGE to attack the regulatory state. After Ramaswamy left, DOGE shifted toward cost‑cutting. Musk has argued that the national debt is unsustainable and sought to trim it down as much as possible before departing the administration in late May. The two men had also worked with GOP lawmakers to shape the DOGE initiative, underscoring the bipartisan interest in tighter budgets and reduced regulation.

Ramaswamy said the split over emphasis was a key factor in his exit. He noted that the dispute centered on whether to address the regulatory state through executive action or tackle the debt problem through legislation. He added that moving to Ohio was a deliberate choice to pursue the deregulation agenda at the state level, where he argues governance can be more directly tied to growth and opportunity.

RealClearPolitics shows Ramaswamy as the frontrunner in the Ohio Republican primary, reflecting substantial recognition as he positions himself as a leader of a deregulation and fiscal restraint reform agenda. He has signaled that he intends to push the deregulatory program he championed on the national stage in Ohio if elected governor, aiming to attract investment and bolster Ohio's competitive standing.

As the race progresses, observers will watch how the DOGE era proposals translate into governance in a state facing inflation, labor costs, and competitive pressures across manufacturing and technology sectors. Ramaswamy’s public remarks in the Pod Force One interview underscore a broader pattern: he has framed his political ascent around a belief that deregulation and disciplined budgeting can unlock economic potential, whether in Washington or Columbus.