Elon Musk swiftly removes Vivek Ramaswamy from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) just hours after Trump's inauguration.
Ramaswamy's controversial X post criticizing American culture and H-1B visa practices accelerated his departure from the team.
The 39-year-old biotech entrepreneur plans to run for Ohio governor, leaving DOGE after just 69 days of its announcement.
Musk now leads DOGE solo, raising ethical concerns due to potential conflicts of interest with his companies SpaceX and Tesla.
Ramaswamy was reportedly doing minimal work for DOGE since early December, despite claiming active involvement.
Republican circles were increasingly frustrated with Ramaswamy, with some wanting him out of Mar-a-Lago and Washington DC.
DOGE was immediately sued upon Trump's inauguration for potentially violating federal transparency rules.
Ramaswamy was previously passed over for Ohio's Senate seat, adding to his recent political setbacks.
Trump's transition spokesperson diplomatically framed Ramaswamy's exit as necessary for his gubernatorial ambitions.
The leadership change signals potential internal tensions in Trump's incoming administration, reminiscent of his first term.