Elon Musk’s Team Granted Access to US Treasury Payments System, Raises National Security Concerns
Sen. Ron Wyden, a Democratic senator from Oregon and ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, has expressed concerns over the granting of “full access” to a U.S. Treasury payments system to representatives of Elon Musk, citing a national security risk.
Access Granted to Highly Sensitive System
According to Wyden, sources told his office that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent gave Musk’s team, known as the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), authorization to access the highly sensitive Treasury system on Friday. The authorization comes after a standoff earlier in the week, in which the Treasury’s highest-ranking career official left the department following requests from Musk’s team for access to the system.
Scope of Access
Wyden stated that DOGE’s access includes Social Security and Medicare benefits, grants, and payments to government contractors, including those that compete directly with Musk’s own companies. “All of it,” wrote Wyden in a post on Bluesky.
Bureau of the Fiscal Service’s Payment System
The system run by the Treasury’s Bureau of the Fiscal Service controls the disbursements of around $6 trillion in federal funds to American households, including Social Security and Medicare benefits, tax refunds, and payments to U.S. federal employees and contractors. Access to the payments system was historically limited to a few staff because it contains personal information about millions of Americans who receive payments from the federal government.
National Security Concerns
Wyden expressed concerns that Musk’s extensive business operations in China “endangers U.S. cybersecurity” and creates conflicts of interest that “make his access to these systems a national security risk.” The Biden administration has previously blamed China for a series of intrusions targeting U.S. critical infrastructure and the theft of senior American officials’ phone records.
DOGE’s Efforts to Take Over Federal Government Systems
This is the latest effort by Musk and his associates to take over the inner workings of the U.S. federal government, following President Trump’s return to office on January 20. Following his inauguration, Trump ordered Musk to begin making widespread cuts to federal government spending.
Other Federal Departments Under Scrutiny
Several other federal departments are under scrutiny by DOGE, including the federal government’s own human resources department, known as the Office of Personnel Management. Reuters reported that Musk’s representatives locked out career civil servants from computer systems, which contain the personal data and human resources files of millions of federal employees.
Conclusion
The granting of access to the U.S. Treasury payments system to Elon Musk’s team raises serious concerns about national security and the potential for conflicts of interest. Sen. Wyden’s warnings about the risks of granting access to sensitive systems to individuals with significant business interests in China are well-founded.
FAQs
Q: What is the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)?
A: DOGE is a team led by Elon Musk that is working to take over the inner workings of the U.S. federal government.
Q: What is the scope of DOGE’s access to the Treasury payments system?
A: DOGE has been granted full access to the Treasury payments system, which includes Social Security and Medicare benefits, grants, and payments to government contractors.
Q: Why is Sen. Wyden concerned about DOGE’s access to the Treasury payments system?
A: Wyden is concerned that DOGE’s access to the system poses a national security risk due to Musk’s extensive business operations in China and potential conflicts of interest.
Q: What other federal departments are under scrutiny by DOGE?
A: The Office of Personnel Management is one of the federal departments under scrutiny by DOGE, following reports that Musk’s representatives locked out career civil servants from computer systems containing personal data and human resources files of millions of federal employees.
