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Elevate Magazine
February 3, 2025

U.S. Senator Warns of Risks From Elon Musk’s DOGE

u.s. senator warns of risks from elon musk's doge

Photo source: FMT

A U.S. senator has raised national security concerns after Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) was granted full access to a U.S. Treasury payments system managing trillions in disbursements, including Social Security and Medicare benefits.

Senator Ron Wyden, a Democrat from Oregon and ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, revealed on Bluesky that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent authorised DOGE’s access on Friday.

This followed the resignation of a senior Treasury official who reportedly opposed the move. Wyden warned that DOGE’s access includes sensitive government payments, some involving contractors competing with Musk’s own businesses.

Wyden’s letter to Bessent cautioned that political interference in the system could have catastrophic consequences for the economy. He also emphasised Musk’s extensive business ties to China, calling them a potential cybersecurity risk and a conflict of interest.

The Treasury’s Bureau of the Fiscal Service oversees $6 trillion in federal payments annually, including tax refunds and federal salaries. Historically, access to this system has been tightly restricted due to its sensitive nature. Wyden noted that granting such access to Musk’s team is “unusual” and poses significant risks.

Reports also suggest that Musk’s representatives have locked out career civil servants from other federal systems, including the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), which holds personal data on millions of employees. The OPM was previously hacked in 2015, with the breach attributed to China.

Wyden demanded answers from Bessent, warning against politically motivated meddling in critical systems. He stressed that these systems “cannot fail” without causing severe damage to the country and its economy.