Hearing the name of Elon Musk for the new cabinet of Donald Trump did not come as a surprise, since it was common knowledge in the United States that the president-elect would somehow tap into the richest man in the world. Elon Musk will take over the Department of Government Efficiency, but he won’t be alone. Another person has entered the equation who is garnering particular interest.
The name is Vivek Ramaswamy, a US-born Indian businessman who had attempted to run for the Republican presidential nomination, eventually dropping out of the race to support Donald Trump.
Ramaswamy along with Elon Musk are being asked to carry out one of Donald Trump’s key campaign pledges to cut spending in the US federal government, which largely involves laying off civil servants and eliminating agencies. Trump said in a statement that the two men “will pave the way for my administration to dismantle government bureaucracy, drastically reduce excessive government controls, cut unnecessary spending and reorganize federal agencies.”
According to the Republican, the new department will realize long-held dreams of the party and “provide advice and guidance outside of government,” suggesting that Musk and Ramaswamy’s role will be atypical and will not need Senate approval. This will moreover allow the billionaire to remain head of his vehicle manufacturing company Tesla, social media X and space company SpaceX.
The new department will work with the White House Office of Management and Budget to “lead broad-based cross-cutting reforms and provide a business-like approach” to government, Trump said. The department’s work will be completed on July 4, 2026, the 250th anniversary of the signing of the U.S. Declaration of Independence.
Ramaswamy, like many other persons in the universe called Donald Trump has aspects that could give rise to a lot of political commentary.
Among them, he has proposed banning social media for children, has called for raising the voting age to 25 years, and has been a proponent of cutting off financial aid to Ukraine. He has also called for the abolition of the FBI.
At one point, famed rapper Eminem even banned him from playing his songs on the campaign trail. But let’s take things in order.
Life and studies
He was born on August 9, 1985, in Cincinnati, Ohio, where he was raised, by parents of Indian descent. Through high school, he attended public schools in the Cincinnati area. In 2003, he graduated first in his class and with honors from “St. Xavier High School,” a prestigious private Catholic Jesuit high school in Cincinnati.
On scholarship, he studied biology at Harvard University, from which he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in 2007 with top honors summa cum laude and honors. He was awarded the Bowdoin Prize for his outstanding thesis work. While attending Harvard, he was very active as a member and president of the university’s Political Association, promoting strong libertarian views.
In 2007, as a senior, he co-founded the technology company StudentBusinesses.com, which connected entrepreneurs with professional resources online and was sold in 2009. He then moved to New York City, where he worked and invested in the biomedical sector.
In 2010, Ramaswamy was admitted to Yale University School of Law, where he received a full scholarship to study in 2011. He completed his studies in 2013, earning a law degree.
Career and fortune
From 2007 to 2014, he worked at fund management firm QVT Financial, where he was a partner and co-manager of the firm’s biotech portfolio.
In 2014, he founded Roivant Sciences, a biotech company registered in Bermuda, a tax haven. Roivant received nearly $100 million in capital and developed a strategy of acquiring patents from big pharmaceutical companies for drugs that had not yet reached the market. In 2017, Roivant partnered with the private investment wing of China’s state-owned CITIC Group to found Sinovant.
In January 2024, Forbes magazine estimated Vivek Ramaswamy’s net worth at more than $960 million, the source of which is his business activities in the fields of life sciences and finance.
The failed bid for the Republican nomination
On February 21, 2023, Vivek Ramaswamy announced his candidacy for the Republican nomination for the U.S. presidential election on Tucker Carlson Tonight.
He went on to publicly release his individual tax returns for the past 20 years, urging his opponents to do the same. Most of his campaign funding came from his personal fortune. From February to July 2023, Ramaswamy loaned over $15 million to his campaign, with the campaign fund having about $9 million at the end of the second quarter of 2023.
On the campaign trail, Ramaswamy identified himself as a “non-negotiable American nationalist”. Though often critical of DeSantis, he avoided direct attacks on Trump.
In January 2024, following the 2024 Iowa primary election in Iowa,Ramaswamy ended his campaign and endorsed Donald Trump. For the remainder of the 2024 campaign season, he served as a political spokesman for the Trump campaign, participating in events on behalf of the candidate.
His positions
Banning social media use in children
Vivek Ramaswamy has criticised social media platforms, describing their products as addictive and calling TikTok a “digital fentanyl”. During the second Republican primary debate, he proposed banning social media use by children, believing it would improve the country’s mental health.
Ending the H-1B visa program
Ramaswamy has expressed his desire to “dismantle” the H-1B visa system, which allows US companies to hire skilled workers from abroad. The program is considered popular, with 780,000 applications for 2024. He called it a “form of slavery for the benefit of companies” and proposed replacing it with a merit-based entry system.
Increasing the voting age
Ramaswamy favours raising the voting age to 25. He suggests, however, that those over 18 should be able to vote if they meet certain requirements, such as serving as first responders or serving in the military for at least six months. It also proposes a requirement of passing a naturalisation test. He acknowledges that this proposal requires an amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which requires approval by two-thirds of Congress.
Ukraine to make concessions
Ramaswamy believes that the conflict in Ukraine should end with a peaceful agreement that includes “major concessions” to Russia, proposing a freeze on the lines of control similar to that of the Korean partition. He believes the Russia-China alliance is the greatest threat to the U.S. military and calls for a commitment from Ukraine not to join NATO.
No to a national ban on abortion
Ramaswamy does not support a federal ban on abortion, saying it is the responsibility of the states. He has expressed support for six-week restrictions at the state level and describes himself as a “pro-life” advocate, arguing that if murder is regulated at the state level, so should abortion.
Removal of the FBI
Ramaswamy has proposed abolishing several federal agencies, including the FBI, which he says is unnecessary and its functions can be transferred to other agencies.
Statements about 9/11
Ramaswamy has come under heavy criticism for his comments on the September 11 attacks, claiming that the government has not told the full truth about the event.
End of birthright citizenship
Ramaswamy wants the right to citizenship at birth for the children of illegal immigrants to be abolished, arguing that the 14th Amendment to the Constitution does not cover the children of those who entered illegally. This would mean that the children of illegal immigrants would not automatically receive U.S. citizenship.
