I WAS impressed to learn that the U.S. President-elect Donald Trump established a ministry called “National Efficiency” and appointed Vivek Ramaswamy and Elon Musk to lead this ministry which is more advisory than executive in nature. This is the first time in American history that such a ministry has been created. What is particularly striking is the ministry’s mission, as Trump stated, is to dismantle government bureaucracy, reduce excessive regulations, cut wasteful spending, and restructure federal agencies.

This means that the current Republican administration, over the next four years, will be tasked with reducing the federal budget, which currently stands at a staggering $6.5 trillion. Trump believes that through this ministry, he can reduce government spending by about two trillion dollars. While it is true that some leaders have advisory and secretive follow-up teams that provide recommendations, their influence is often limited by bureaucracy, especially in democracies where powers are subject to checks and balances.

This stands in contrast to the situation in Kuwait over the past 50 years, where there has been a huge overlap between the government and the National Assembly. Over the past five decades, the influence of the National Assembly on successive governments has grown to such an extent that the Council of Ministers would often resign when some MPs announced their intention to withdraw confidence from a minister, or even more. In addition, entities were created to serve tribal, sectarian, and personal interests, which ultimately contributed to Kuwait’s struggle with corruption. In recent months, we have witnessed the trials of high-profile figures who were once expected to be highly competent and honest, yet they did the opposite. In some countries, including the United States, there is the so-called “100-day period” during which the general outlines of a new government’s program become clear. Unfortunately, this concept does not exist in Kuwait, where all government programs often amounted to little more than rhetorical phrases that were copied and pasted.

These programs failed to take into consideration the real needs of the people, which is why they were never implemented. Instead, the focus shifted to controlling the decision-making process and exploiting the nation’s resources by enslaving institutions to powerful individuals and political agendas, rather than acting in the best interests of the people and the country. We can say that the future holds greater promise for reform, as signs of a new era are already emerging. This is in line with the hopes of the people, who, in recent years, raised their voices calling for a change in the parliamentary and governmental behavior that undermined the country’s interests and neglected nearly four hundred essential laws.

The fact that His Highness the Amir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad is actively following up on these matters, either directly or through capable yet discreet support staff, shows that Kuwait’s new era has progressed beyond Trump’s decision to establish a Ministry of Government Efficiency. When His Highness told the ministers, “The people’s trust is precious and invaluable. Working day and night is the price of being appointed and tasked. We are in a serious phase, and I will hold the negligent accountable,” it reflected a clear commitment to change. If there is a genuine ministerial will to work, then nothing should stand in the way of achieving results.

Kuwait has about 19 government bodies, and we do not need a separate Ministry of National Efficiency like the United States. What the people want is for ministers to be held accountable, so they can streamline state institutions, reduce financial waste, shorten bureaucratic processes, and pass laws that align with modern international standards. We echo His Highness the Amir’s words when he received the members of the government and told them: “The people are monitoring your work, and so am I.”