A senior U.S. senator has raised concerns over Elon Musk’s associates being granted full access to a highly sensitive Treasury payments system, calling it a ‘national security risk.’
Key Points at a Glance:
- Elon Musk’s team, known as the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), has been granted full access to a U.S. Treasury system responsible for disbursing trillions of dollars annually.
- Senator Ron Wyden warns that Musk’s access to the system poses a national security risk, citing Musk’s business ties with China.
- DOGE’s access includes control over Social Security, Medicare benefits, tax refunds, and payments to government contractors, including companies that compete with Musk’s businesses.
- Other federal agencies are also under scrutiny by DOGE, raising concerns over cybersecurity, government control, and political interference.
A major political and national security controversy is unfolding as Elon Musk’s associates have been granted full access to the U.S. Treasury’s payment systems, responsible for disbursing around $6 trillion annually. According to Senator Ron Wyden, a top Democrat and ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, Musk’s team—officially known as the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)—was granted access by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Friday.
This decision follows a dramatic standoff earlier in the week when the Treasury’s highest-ranking career official resigned after resisting DOGE’s requests for access. The Treasury’s Bureau of the Fiscal Service system controls payments for Social Security, Medicare, tax refunds, and government contractors, among others. Senator Wyden has called this move a grave national security risk, citing concerns about potential political interference, conflicts of interest, and cybersecurity vulnerabilities.
Why Is This a National Security Risk?
One of the most alarming points raised by Wyden is Musk’s deep business connections with China, which he claims could endanger U.S. cybersecurity. Over the past year, China has been accused of hacking U.S. critical infrastructure, targeting phone records of senior officials, and even breaching Treasury systems. Granting Musk’s team unrestricted access to such a critical system, Wyden argues, could create significant vulnerabilities and conflicts of interest.
The senator’s concerns extend beyond cybersecurity. The access DOGE has been given allows them to control payments to federal contractors, including those that directly compete with Musk’s companies, such as SpaceX and Tesla. This raises ethical questions about potential favoritism or manipulation of government funds.
Expanding Control Over Federal Systems
Musk’s growing influence within the federal government is not limited to the Treasury Department. Reports indicate that DOGE is also scrutinizing other federal agencies, including the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), which manages human resources for millions of U.S. government employees.
According to Reuters, Musk’s team locked out career civil servants from their own computer systems, which contain sensitive personal and security clearance data. This echoes the 2015 OPM cyberattack, widely attributed to China, which resulted in the exposure of personnel records for more than 22 million U.S. federal employees.
Political Fallout and Uncertain Future
Democratic leaders, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, have voiced fears that DOGE could use its new authority to manipulate federal spending. With Donald Trump’s return to the presidency, Musk was tasked with making drastic cuts to government spending. Schumer warned that DOGE could potentially cut funding for essential programs, including veterans’ aid, school lunches, and cancer research.
The controversy surrounding DOGE’s access has already caused major upheaval within the Treasury Department, with Wyden’s letter emphasizing that the payments system ‘simply cannot fail’ without triggering severe economic consequences. Treasury Secretary Bessent has not responded to requests for comment.
As tensions rise, the coming weeks will determine whether Congress or government agencies take action to limit Musk’s growing influence over federal operations.
