WASHINGTON — The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which is overseen by President Trump’s advisor Elon Musk, has reportedly secured access to sensitive financial data from the Treasury Department, including information related to Social Security and Medicare payments. This revelation comes from two individuals who are privy to the details but wish to remain anonymous due to the confidential nature of the information.

The establishment of DOGE, a Trump-era task force aimed at reducing the federal workforce, cutting programs, and eliminating various federal regulations, could potentially allow for significant access to critical taxpayer information and other data management areas. This news was initially reported by The New York Times.

Concerns about this situation have been raised by Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee. He sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent expressing worries that Musk’s team might seek to manipulate these payment systems in a manner that could prevent disbursements to numerous federal programs. Wyden emphasized the importance of these systems, stating that any politically motivated interference could lead to serious repercussions for the nation and its economy.

This situation also follows the recent resignation of David Lebryk, who served as the acting Deputy Secretary at the Treasury for over three decades. Reports indicate that his resignation coincided with Musk’s DOGE group seeking access to sensitive financial data. In a message addressed to Treasury employees, Lebryk highlighted the critical nature of the Fiscal Service’s operations, even if they often go unnoticed by the general public, and expressed his gratitude for working alongside talented professionals. However, Lebryk’s letter did not mention any request regarding access to payment systems.

Musk responded to the news of Lebryk’s departure via his social media platform X, alleging that the DOGE team discovered troubling practices regarding payment approvals at Treasury. He claimed that officials had been instructed to greenlight payments, even to entities recognized as fraudulent or potentially linked to terrorism, stating that no payments had ever been denied in their experience. However, Musk did not provide any verifiable evidence to support this assertion.

Initially, DOGE was co-led by Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, a former candidate for the Republican presidential nomination. Together, they committed to slashing billions from federal expenditures and drastically reducing the size of the federal workforce. Ramaswamy has since stepped away from involvement with DOGE as he considers a campaign for the governorship in Ohio.