An adviser to President Trump, Vivek Ramaswamy, predicts that several federal agencies will be “defunded” once Trump returns to the White House in January. The businessman-turned-presidential candidate will lead government efficiency efforts for the 47th president.

“We expect massive reductions. We expect some agencies to be eliminated altogether. We expect massive reductions in force, in areas where the federal government is overburdened,” Mr. Ramaswamy told Fox News’ Maria Bartiromo on Sunday. “We expect massive cuts to federal contractors who are overcharging the federal government. »

“I think people will be surprised at how quickly we are able to make some of these changes, given the legal context that the Supreme Court has given us,” he added, referring to a series recent legal precedents that restrict what Mr. Ramaswamy calls “the administrative state.”

Mr Ramaswamy was tasked with co-leading the new Department of Government Effectiveness alongside billionaire Elon Musk. Their effort will not be an agency or department at all, but rather a review committee tasked with providing recommendations for spending cuts to congressional officials and the White House Office of Management and Budget.

Critics have been quick to point out past efforts by presidents to curb government waste, fraud and abuse that have gone nowhere. President Obama created a group to study ways to put America’s fiscal house in order – known as the Simpson-Bowles Commission – which ultimately failed.

Many believe that Trump’s efforts, led by Messrs. Ramaswamy, and Musk, could break with the past and actually move things forward, especially given total Republican control of Washington.

Foundation for American Innovation Policy Director Dan Lips recently wrote an opinion piece in the Hill describing the means by which MM. Ramaswamy and Musk could present recommendations to Trump that could be implemented within the first 100 days of the first administration. He says he refuses to fund expired credits, takes up a list of efficiency reforms drawn up by the Government Accountability Office and deploys artificial intelligence to review federal regulations.

“President Trump and Musk will surely have a bold vision of what can be accomplished by a Department of Government Effectiveness, including broad reforms, reorganizations and cuts to the federal budget. But these simple actions in the first 100 days could generate hundreds of billions in short-term savings and create valuable momentum for a four-year project to transform the federal government,” Mr. Lips writes.