Tag Archives: DOGE

The Washington Post reports: A 19-year-old acolyte of Elon Musk known online as “Big Balls” has taken on new roles as a senior adviser at the State Department and at the Department of Homeland Security, raising concerns among some diplomats and others about his potential access to sensitive information and the growing reach of his tech billionaire boss into America’s …

Politico reports: The Trump administration is making an urgent push to end a court order barring top officials’ access to the federal government’s massive payment system operated by the Treasury Department, saying the “remarkable intrusion” is unconstitutional and should be “dissolved immediately.” “Basic democratic accountability requires that every executive agency’s work be supervised by politically accountable leadership, who ultimately answer …

The Washington Post reports: As much as half the government’s nonmilitary real estate holdings are set to be liquidated, a move aimed at closing offices and increasing commute times amid sharp new limits on remote and telework. That is intended to depress workforce morale and increase attrition. “We’ve heard from them that they want to make the buildings so crappy …

Mediaite reports: Elon Musk sounded off on a federal judge for blocking access to the Treasury Department’s data systems to Musk and his DOGE team. Musk was not pleased by the ruling, to say the least. He kicked off what has been a day-long social media screed by pushing a claim from Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) that Engelmayer’s decision even …

The Washington Post reports: A federal judge issued an emergency order early Saturday prohibiting Elon Musk’s U.S. DOGE Service from accessing personal and financial data on millions of Americans kept at the Treasury Department, noting the possibility for irreparable harm. U.S. District Judge Paul A. Engelmayer’s decision also ordered Musk and his team to “immediately destroy any and all copies …

Reuters reports: One of the people working with billionaire Elon Musk in his efforts to overhaul the U.S. government is a Berkeley-educated computer scientist who has boosted white supremacists and misogynists online. Gavin Kliger lists his job on LinkedIn as “Special Advisor to the Director” at the Office of Personnel Management, which has been spearheading Musk’s efforts to shrink the …

First, there was this bizarre exchange: Fox News White House Correspondent Peter Doocy asked President Donald Trump about Elon Musk declaring his “straight man” love for him. Doocy asked Trump what First Lady Melania Trump thought of Musk declaring his “straight man” love for the president. DOOCY: Elon Musk says I love Donald Trump as mush as a straight man …

Newsweek reports: The acting U.S. attorney in Washington, D.C. sent a letter Friday saying his office is conducting an “inquiry” into people who were referred to him by Elon Musk, who oversees the Department of Government Efficiency. Martin said in his letter that his office will “chase” people to “the end of the Earth to hold them accountable,” even if …

Axios reports: The Trump administration is being sued over its move to dismantle the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), with unions representing workers in the lawsuit calling the action “unconstitutional and illegal.” The lawsuit that was filed in federal court Thursday seeks to block efforts to place most of USAID’s 10,000-strong global workforce on administrative leave by Friday night …

CNN reports: A representative from Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, was granted access to the Energy Department’s IT system on Wednesday by Energy Secretary Chris Wright [photo], two people with knowledge of the situation told CNN. Wright granted access to DOGE representative Luke Farritor — a 23-year-old former SpaceX intern — even over objections from members of …

Via press release from New York AG Letitia James: New York Attorney General Letitia James today led a coalition of 14 attorneys general in releasing the following statement in response to the U.S. Department of the Treasury granting Elon Musk and his so-called “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE) staffers access to sensitive payment systems containing Americans’ personally identifiable information: “In …

Axios reports: A group of House and Senate Democrats said they were denied access to the Environmental Protection Agency’s headquarters in Washington, D.C. It is the third time this week that Democratic lawmakers were blocked from an agency that has been targeted by President Trump and Elon Musk’s DOGE. On Monday, a large group of Democrats tried to enter the …

Forbes reports: One of the workers at Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency most involved in the agency’s access to the Treasury Department’s payment system reportedly resigned Thursday after racist social media posts tied to him surfaced—the latest in the line of controversy and criticism surrounding DOGE. Marko Elez, one of the two primary DOGE emissaries embedded in the Treasury …

The Washington Post reports: Records obtained by The Post show that several members of Musk’s DOGE team — some of whom are in their early 20s and come from positions at his private companies — were given “administrative” access to OPM computer systems within days of Trump’s inauguration last month. That gives them sweeping authority to install and modify software …

The United Press reports: The U.S. Department of Justice has agreed to limit Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency’s access to the Treasury Department’s federal payment system. The decision follows a lawsuit filed on Wednesday alleging that Musk and his group of DOGE workers violated federal privacy laws when they improperly commandeered data from the Treasury Department. The …

The Washington Post reports: Agents of billionaire Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency have gained access to highly restricted government records on millions of federal employees — including Treasury and State Department officials in sensitive security positions — as part of a broader effort to wrest control over the government’s main personnel agency, according to four U.S. officials with knowledge …

First, just a bit of the Musk-FAA history: In a Sept. 17, 2024, post on its website, the FAA said that in June 2023 SpaceX used a new launch control room for an uncrewed satellite mission that had not been approved by the FAA. It also failed to conduct a required and routine safety poll of flight controllers before the …

Reuters reports: Representatives of Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency have been working at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, where they have gotten access to key payment and contracting systems, The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday. The DOGE representatives have been on site at the agency’s offices this week, and are looking at the systems’ technology as …

Rolling Stone reports: As a cabal of Elon Musk flunkies works around the clock to infiltrate and sabotage various federal agencies on behalf of President Donald Trump, the world’s richest man — just named a special government employee — is warning along with Washington allies that the consequences for publicly naming these staffers may be severe. On Monday, a key …

The American Prospect reports: Elon Musk and his personal DOGE lackeys are attempting to take direct control of several government agencies, most worryingly the Bureau of the Fiscal Service, which operates the financial pipelines that disburse more than $5 trillion in government payments every year. The potential consequences should a bunch of arrogant Silicon Valley “move fast and break things” …