The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Tesla CEO Elon Musk and tasked with overhauling federal programs, has gained access to sensitive Treasury data, including systems related to Social Security and Medicare payments. This development has raised significant concerns regarding the security and handling of taxpayer information.
DOGE, a Trump administration initiative aimed at reducing federal spending, slashing regulations, and firing government workers, now has the potential to access critical financial systems. The New York Times first reported the situation, and two sources familiar with the matter, who spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity, confirmed the news.
Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Oregon), the senior Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, expressed his concerns about the situation. He sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, warning that DOGE officials linked to Musk may seek to interfere with federal payment systems, potentially withholding payments to key programs. Wyden stressed that any such interference could severely damage the economy and harm national interests, stating that “these payment systems simply cannot fail.”
The controversy comes as Treasury’s acting Deputy Secretary, David Lebryk, resigned after more than 30 years of service. Reports indicate that his resignation followed DOGE’s request to access Treasury’s sensitive payment data. In a letter to Treasury employees, Lebryk acknowledged the importance of the agency’s work but did not mention the DOGE data access request.
Musk responded to the situation on his social media platform X, claiming that DOGE’s team discovered Treasury payment officers had approved payments without exception, even to fraudulent or terrorist organizations. However, Musk did not provide evidence to support this claim.
Originally led by Musk and former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, DOGE was created to cut federal spending and reduce the size of the federal workforce. Ramaswamy has since left the task force as he considers a run for Ohio governor.
