Elon Musk and D.O.G.E. denied access to US Treasury Department systems
A federal judge has officially restricted Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency (D.O.G.E.) from accessing the U.S. Treasury Department's payment system.
Court decision and prerequisites
Judge Colin Collar-Cotelli made the ruling after Musk argued that his team was working to eliminate what he described as wasteful government spending. The U.S. Treasury, which processes trillions of dollars in transactions including Social Security and Medicare payments, has been a focal point for Musk's claims that those payments are negatively impacting the federal budget.
Privacy issues and legal actions
In response, federal employees and retirees filed a lawsuit against the D.O.G.E., claiming that its access to Treasury Department data posed a serious privacy threat. They argued that allowing Musk’s team to view sensitive financial records violated federal law. The court agreed, quickly issuing an order revoking the D.O.G.E.’s access to Treasury Department records.
Who had access to the Ministry of Finance data?
The government confirmed that only two individuals from Musk's entourage had access to the Treasury Department's data:
- Tom Krause – CEO of Cloud Software Group
- Marco Elez – 25-year-old software developer
Musk denied access to Treasury Department data
Elon Musk himself was explicitly barred from accessing Treasury Department information. Tensions rose when Musk suggested that D.O.G.E. was preventing “illegal” payments. His remarks reportedly caused significant concern within the Treasury Department, leading to intervention by former President Donald Trump, who said:
"- Elon can't do anything without our approval."
Additional subpoenas
In addition to the dispute with the Treasury Department, unions have filed a separate lawsuit seeking to block D.O.G.E. from accessing Labor Department systems. Critics say Musk’s team is moving too quickly without obtaining proper legal approval.
#ElonMusk. #doge #USTreasuryDepart