The Trump administration has given Elon Musk’s deputies access to the federal payments system that controls the flow of trillions of dollars in government funds every year, US media report.
Reports suggest members of Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency (Doge) – which is not a government department, but a team within the administration – have been granted access to sensitive personal information of millions of Americans.
Two officials at the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) were reportedly placed on leave after a standoff with Doge members over access.
The White House and the Treasury Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Just days after President Donald Trump announced its launch, Doge has fanned out to a number of US government agencies with the stated mission of slashing federal spending.
Musk helped set up the team in order to carry out this effort, bringing allies from his private companies and Silicon Valley to assist the process.
