...
By James Bickerton
News Reporter
0
Share
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
Senator Chris Murphy said the tax records of "every American" had been "potentially compromised" following reports that Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) gained access to the Treasury Department's federal payment system over the weekend.
Newsweek contacted Murphy, DOGE employee Katie Miller and Musk, via the Tesla and SpaceX press offices, for comment by email outside regular office hours.
Why It Matters
The Associated Press reported on Saturday that DOGE employees were able to access "sensitive Treasury data," including Social Security and Medicare customer payment systems.
Read More on U.S.
DOGE gaining access to Treasury records signals the influence Musk has within the second Trump administration. The billionaire tech tycoon previously called for up to $2 trillion to be cut from the federal budget.
...
What To Know
In an interview on Monday, CNN's Jake Tapper asked Murphy, a Democrat from Connecticut, whether he had concerns over DOGE accessing the Treasury's payment system.
"Of course I do," Murphy replied. "First of all, every American needs to know that your information, your personal tax records, have been potentially compromised, that unelected billionaires and his Silicon Valley right-wing friends may have access to all of your personal information."
Murphy said the argument that DOGE officials were simply checking government spending to ensure that it aligned with Trump's policy priorities was "just fancy talk to say, 'We're going to give money to people who pledge loyalty to Donald Trump, and we're not going to give money to people who don't pledge loyalty to Donald Trump.'"
According to The Guardian, DOGE employees had been working to gain access to the federal payment system, which controls more than $6 trillion worth of federal cash flow, since Trump returned to office on January 20.
On Friday, career Treasury staffer David A. Lebryk announced his retirement. The New York Times, The Washington Post and The Hill reported, citing unnamed sources, that Lebryk had clashed with the DOGE team over its access to Treasury data.
Shortly after his electoral victory in November, Trump appointed Musk to run DOGE—which, despite its name, is not an official government department. The tech tycoon heavily supported Trump's 2024 presidential bid, donating $288 million, The Washington Post reported, and attending campaign rallies.
What People Are Saying
Senator Chris Murphy, a Democrat from Connecticut, told CNN: "So I just think this is a super dangerous moment that doesn't just impact government contractors, that now may impact ordinary Americans."
Elon Musk wrote on X, formerly Twitter, in response to news of David A. Lebryk's resignation: "The @DOGE team discovered, among other things, that payment approval officers at Treasury were instructed always to approve payments, even to known fraudulent or terrorist groups. They literally never denied a payment in their entire career. Not even once."
Senator Elizabeth Warren, a Democrat from Massachusetts, told Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in a letter dated February 2: "I write regarding a disturbing report that … you have given Elon Musk and his surrogates 'full access' to the federal government's critical payment systems, which includes the sensitive personal information of millions of Americans. It is extraordinarily dangerous to meddle with the critical systems that process trillions of dollars of transactions each year, are essential to preventing a default on federal debt, and ensure that tens of millions of Americans receive their Social Security checks, tax refunds, and Medicare benefits."
What Happens Next
The Trump administration is likely to come under further pressure to disclose the level of access DOGE has been granted to the federal payment system and what safeguards remain in place.
It remains to be seen whether DOGE will succeed in cutting up to $2 trillion from federal government spending, which stood at $6.75 trillion in 2024, according to Treasury data.
View 0 Comments
Submit Correction
View Editorial & AI Guidelines