Elon Musk’s DOGE Team Gains Access to Key Treasury Payment System
Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has recently been granted access to a crucial Treasury Department payment system that manages the personal data of every American receiving tax refunds, Medicare, Social Security, and other federal disbursements.
The new Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent authorized access for Musk’s representatives to this system late Friday, according to five sources familiar with the matter who spoke to The New York Times. This occurred on the same day that David Lebryk, a longstanding Treasury official and former acting secretary before Bessent’s confirmation, announced his resignation following disputes with DOGE over access to this system operated by the Bureau of Fiscal Service, which disburses over $6 trillion annually.
“Treasury Secretary Bessent has granted DOGE *complete* access to this system,” Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) announced on social media on Saturday. “This includes Social Security and Medicare benefits, grants, and payments to government contractors, some of which are direct competitors of Musk’s enterprises.”
“Americans don’t want an unelected billionaire to dictate the financial possibilities of working families.”
Former Labor Secretary Robert Reich expressed astonishment at the development, commenting, “A billionaire with no elected role or governmental experience now has access to the Treasury’s payment systems and sensitive information about millions of Americans. What could possibly go wrong?”
This development intensifies concerns that Musk, along with the Trump administration, is seeking to assert authoritarian influence over the federal government by removing or marginalizing career officials and bypassing Congress, which constitutionally controls government spending.
The controversy escalated further when an official from the Office of Personnel Management reported that Musk’s allies had denied access to federal employees’ personal data to career civil servants. This incident topped off a week where the administration attempted to halt all federal grants and loans, a move that has been temporarily halted by judicial intervention.
Amid these unsettling reports, Senator Wyden, who is the senior Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, demanded immediate clarification from Bessent. Wyden stressed that “these payment systems are critical and must not fail. Any political interference could cause significant harm to our nation and its economy.”
Other Democratic leaders also voiced their dismay online. “Elon Musk, the wealthiest individual globally, is tampering with the Social Security and Medicare payment systems. He is overreaching and dismissing anyone who opposes him. This smells of corruption and must be stopped,” stated Representative Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.).
Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) described the situation as “alarming” and called for a congressional investigation. Despite the uproar, sources assured The New York Times that no payments had been obstructed so far, and DOGE’s stated purpose was to review, not halt, payments.
In a social media post, Musk hinted at finding inappropriate spending and suggested that blocking funds might sometimes be justified. “Our team found that Treasury payment officers were always instructed to approve payments, even to known fraudulent entities or terrorist organizations,” Musk revealed.
Former Treasury officials explained to the Times that a relatively small team disburses funds, relying on other agencies to vet these payments. Don Hammond, a former manager of the system, noted to The Wall Street Journal that the Treasury does not typically have the authority to approve or deny specific payments, which should be handled at the agency level.
Responding to the situation, Lindsay Owens of the Groundwork Collaborative remarked on social media, “The Treasury system processes payments—it does not decide who gets paid or how much. Musk is manipulating the system to withhold payments. It’s a coup.”
In an op-ed for MSNBC, Owens elaborated on her concerns, listing three potential reasons why Musk might seek access to this system: to circumvent court blocks on spending freezes, to benefit his or his allies’ businesses by accessing the blacklist of federal contractors, and to slash Social Security or Medicare expenses in line with DOGE’s aim to cut federal spending by $2 trillion.
Owens concluded that, despite a desire to believe DOGE is working to improve government efficiency, evidence suggests Musk is aiming to cut critical funding and gain unprecedented access to sensitive information, potentially to further personal business interests. According to a recent poll, only about one-third of Americans support DOGE, with 52% disapproving of Musk’s actions.
“Americans are not in favor of an unelected, unaccountable billionaire deciding what is affordable for working families,” Owens stated. “If Musk continues to operate the government as he does his failed businesses, perhaps it’s time for his ‘resignation’ to be enforced.”
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