February 3rd, 2025

Elon Musk's Attempt to Control the Treasury System Is Incredibly Dangerous

Elon Musk's initiative to access U.S. Treasury payment systems raises concerns about data misuse and political influence, especially after a key official was placed on leave for refusing access.

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Elon Musk's Attempt to Control the Treasury System Is Incredibly Dangerous

Elon Musk's attempts to gain access to the U.S. Treasury's payment systems through his initiative, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), have raised significant concerns about potential misuse of sensitive financial information. Reports indicate that David Lebryk, a long-serving Treasury official, was placed on administrative leave after refusing to provide Musk's team with operational details of the payment system. Musk's inquiries reportedly included requests for source code information, which could enable him to manipulate payment processes. The situation is compounded by the appointment of Scott Bessent as Treasury Secretary, who is perceived to be aligned with Trump's interests, potentially undermining the independence of the Treasury. Critics argue that Musk's access could lead to politically motivated decisions regarding federal payments, particularly against groups or individuals deemed undesirable by Trump and Musk. The Treasury's Bureau of the Fiscal Service, which processes a vast number of federal payments, is seen as vulnerable to political influence if Musk's team gains operational control. The implications of this access could threaten the integrity of the payment system and the privacy of sensitive data, including Social Security numbers. Overall, the situation poses a risk of politicizing federal financial operations, which could have far-reaching consequences for governance and public trust.

- Elon Musk's DOGE initiative seeks access to the U.S. Treasury's payment systems, raising concerns about misuse of sensitive data.

- David Lebryk, a key Treasury official, was placed on leave after refusing to grant access to Musk's team.

- The potential for politically motivated payment decisions could undermine the integrity of federal financial operations.

- Critics warn that Musk's access could threaten the privacy of sensitive information processed by the Treasury.

- The situation highlights the risks of politicizing the Treasury's operations under the Trump administration.

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By @bhouston - 3 months
Elon did go straight to the heart of the US government by taking control of the Treasury system. And if he has Trump's blessing to just arbitrarily change things, he can really remake the US.

Quite unprecedented times. While there could be a ton of lawsuits I think they won't be able to catch up with the changes. That seems to be the point, move fast enough that there is no recourse.

I see that same strategy happening with the tariffs + escalation with Canada.

By @kaaskop - 3 months
It's a power grab by an unelected oligarch. If this happened literally anywhere else, American media would be calling it a coup.