‘Overwhelming support’: GOP governors rally around Trump and DOGE ahead of inauguration

EXCLUSIVE: The nation’s Republican governors are making their “overwhelming support” clear. President-elect Trump planned “Department of Government Efficiency”, better known by its acronym DOGE.

In a letter to congressional leaders first shared with Fox News on Friday, said the governors they fully support DOGE and emphasized the importance of balancing the federal budget.

“As our state chief executives, we know a thing or two about streamlining government, eliminating unnecessary bureaucracy, and bringing efficient, results-oriented solutions to state government. We stand with President Trump as he works to do the same with the federal government,” the governors said.

AMERICA’S NEWEST GOVERNOR FORCES TRUMP PAGE BY CREATING SEM DOGE COMMISSION

Tesla CEO Elon Musk, co-chairman of the newly announced Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), arrives on Capitol Hill with his son on December 5, 2024 in Washington, DC. Musk and his co-chairman, businessman Vivek Ramaswamy, met with lawmakers today about DOGE, a planned presidential advisory commission aimed at reducing government spending and increasing the efficiency of the federal workforce. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) (Anna Moneymaker)

Days after his victory in the November presidential election, Trump tapped Elon Muskthe world’s richest person and former Republican presidential candidate and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy to head DOGE.

The House of Representatives has created an oversight subcommittee and the Senate has formed a DOGE caucus to work with Musk and Ramaswamy.

YOUR QUESTIONS ABOUT DOGE ARE ANSWERED HERE

The governors emphasized that “our states succeed because we live within our means. We balance our budgets, lower taxes, tap into surpluses, pay down the debt, improve the efficiency of state governments, and create an environment where our constituents they can build a prosperous future for themselves, their family and their community.”

Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy are leading the effort to reduce government inefficiency. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

And they emphasized that “it’s past time for Washington to also live within its means. We support President Trump’s nomination of Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy and agree with his assertion that the federal government is “must downsize. We’re ready for help.”

Directed by Republican Governors Association (RGA) Policy Chair Gov. Henry McMaster of South Carolina, the letter was also signed by RGA Chair Gov. Brian Kemp of Georgia and 24 other GOP governors.

President-elect Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with Republican governors at Mar-a-Lago, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025, in Palm Beach, Florida, as Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, the Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry and South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster listen. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

They are governors. Alabama’s Kay Ivey, Alaska’s Mike Dunleavy, Arkansas’ Sarah Sanders, Florida’s Ron DeSantis, Idaho’s Brad Little, Indiana’s Eric Holcomb, Iowa’s Kim Reynolds, Louisiana’s Jeff Landry, Mississippi’s Tate Reeves , Mike Parson of Missouri, Greg Gianforte of Montana, Jim Pillen of Nebraska, Joe Lombardo of Nevada, Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire, Kelly Armstrong of North Dakota, Mike DeWine of Ohio, Kevin Stitt of Oklahoma, Kristi Noem of South Dakota, Bill Lee of Tennessee, Greg Abbott of Texas, Spencer Cox of Utah, Glenn Youngkin of Virginia, Jim Justice of West Virginia and Mark Gordon of Wyoming.

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The only one of the 27 Republican governors who did not sign the letter was Governor Phil Scott of Vermont. Although a long-time member of the RGA, Scott has a history of not attaching his name to many of his letters.

The letter was sent the day after many of the GOP governors dined with Trump at his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida.