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The Department of Justice (DOJ) has officially agreed to restrict the Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) access to sensitive Treasury Department records following a lawsuit from federal unions.
Some shit you should know before you read: Earlier this week, news broke that the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a government cost-cutting initiative led by Elon Musk, had gained access to the Treasury Department’s Fiscal Service system, which processes 90% of federal payments. This access allowed DOGE-affiliated employees to view sensitive taxpayer data, including Social Security numbers, bank account details, and personal financial records of millions of Americans. While Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent defended the move as part of broader government efficiency efforts, critics warned that such access could be misused for political or private interests. The revelation sparked an immediate uproar, with Democrats calling it an unprecedented invasion of privacy and a violation of federal data protection laws, while most Republicans dismissed the concerns as political overreaction, arguing that DOGE was simply working to improve government operations.
What’s going on now: In a reversal, the DOJ agreed to restrict DOGE employees’ access to the Treasury Department’s Fiscal Service system after federal unions and advocacy groups filed lawsuits. The lawsuit, filed by the American Federation of Government Employees, the Service Employees International Union, and the Alliance for Retired Americans, argued that DOGE had unlawfully obtained access to millions of Americans’ sensitive financial data. The complaint specifically targeted Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who granted DOGE access despite internal pushback from senior Treasury officials, one of whom resigned in protest. The unions claimed that DOGE’s involvement lacked legal justification and posed significant privacy risks, warning that retirees, taxpayers, and federal employees had no assurance their financial records were protected.
The plaintiffs also argued that there was no transparency regarding how DOGE planned to use the information, raising concerns that it could be exploited for political or financial purposes.
In response, the DOJ negotiated an agreement limiting access to two special government employees, Tom Krause and Marko Elez, who will only have “read-only” permissions. While this temporary restriction remains in place, the legal battle is far from over, as the court will soon decide whether to impose a longer-term injunction blocking DOGE’s access entirely.
This all comes as Elon Musk faces growing criticism over his deepening involvement in government operations while simultaneously running major private enterprises, including Tesla, SpaceX, and X. Critics argue that Musk, who donated hundreds of millions of dollars to help elect Donald Trump and receives billions in federal contracts, effectively bought his influence in Washington and is now using it to advance his own financial interests under the guise of government efficiency. Some lawmakers and watchdog groups fear that his leadership of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) could grant him insider access to policies and contracts that benefit his businesses, particularly in the tech and aerospace sectors. However, Republicans have pushed back against these accusations, claiming that opposition to Musk is politically motivated and that his efforts to cut waste, fraud, and abuse in government should be welcomed, not resisted. DOGE, for its part, claims to have already eliminated over a billion dollars in unnecessary federal spending.
