News comes after departure of Treasury's acting Deputy Secretary David Lebryk after more than 30 years of service.
The Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, run by President Donald Trump 's billionaire adviser and Tesla CEO Elon Musk , has gained access to sensitive Treasury data including Social Security and Medicare customer payment systems, according to two people familiar with the situation.
The move by DOGE, a Trump administration task force assigned to find ways to fire federal workers, cut programs and slash federal regulations, means it could have wide leeway to access important taxpayer data, among other things.The New York Times first reported the news of the group's access of the massive federal payment system. The two people who spoke to The Associated Press spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly.The highest-ranking Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, Ron Wyden of Oregon, on Friday sent a letter to Trump's Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent expressing concern that 'officials associated with Musk may have intended to access these payment systems to illegally withhold payments to any number of programs.''To put it bluntly, these payment systems simply cannot fail, and any politically motivated meddling in them risks severe damage to our country and the economy,' Wyden said. Top Treasury official resignsThe news also comes after Treasury's acting Deputy Secretary David Lebryk resigned from his position at Treasury after more than 30 years of service. The Washington Post on Friday reported that Lebryk resigned his position after Musk and his DOGE organization requested access to sensitive Treasury data. 'The Fiscal Service performs some of the most vital functions in government,' Lebryk said in a letter to Treasury employees sent out Friday. 'Our work may be unknown to most of the public, but that doesn't mean it isn't exceptionally important. I am grateful for having been able to work alongside some of the nation's best and most talented operations staff.' The letter did not mention a DOGE request to access Treasury payments. Musk on Saturday responded to a post on his social media platform X about the departure of Lebryk: '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.'He did not provide proof of this claim. DOGE was originally headed by Musk and former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, who jointly vowed to cut billions from the federal budget and usher in 'mass headcount reductions across the federal bureaucracy.'Ramaswamy has since left DOGE as he mulls a run for governor of Ohio.
Vivek Ramaswamy Donald Trump Politics Oregon Taxes
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Doge Meme Appears in US Senate: 'Doge Inevitable'; Dogecoin Founder ReactsDogecoin founder has highlighted recent speech by Senator Joni Ernst with canvas of DOGE meme
Read more »
Musk and DOGE Allegedly Seek Access to Sensitive Payment SystemsDemocrat lawmakers are demanding answers from the Trump administration after reports surfaced that Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) are attempting to access sensitive payment systems within the Treasury Department. This incident follows Musk's previous attempt to freeze all federal grant spending. The reports suggest a possible conflict between DOGE personnel and career Treasury officials, culminating in the retirement of David A. Lebryk, a career Treasury official.
Read more »
Musk's DOGE Group Gains Access to Sensitive Treasury Data, Raising ConcernsElon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency, known as DOGE, has reportedly gained access to sensitive Treasury data, including Social Security and Medicare payment systems. This move has sparked concerns about potential misuse of taxpayer information and political interference in government operations.
Read more »
Musk's DOGE Gains Access to Treasury Data, Raising ConcernsElon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has reportedly gained access to sensitive Treasury data, including Social Security and Medicare payment systems. This move, aimed at finding ways to cut federal spending, has sparked concerns about potential misuse of taxpayer information. Senator Ron Wyden has expressed worry that the access could be used to illegally withhold payments to programs. The news follows the resignation of Treasury's acting deputy secretary, David Lebryk, who reportedly left after Musk's team requested access to sensitive data.
Read more »
Elon Musk's DOGE Team Accuses Treasury of 'Fraudulent' Payments, Gains Access to Government SystemTech billionaire Elon Musk alleges 'fraudulent' payments from the Treasury Department, claiming approval officers approved payments to known fraudulent and terrorist groups. Musk's DOGE team reportedly gained access to the federal government's payment system, which handles around $6 trillion annually.
Read more »
Elon Musk’s DOGE commission gains access to sensitive Treasury payment systems: AP sourcesThe cost-cutting entity has the keys to the federal government’s Social Security and Medicare customer payment systems, the sources reported.
Read more »