A federal judge temporarily blocked Elon Musk’s government efficiency team from accessing U.S. Treasury payment systems, citing security and privacy risks. The ruling, issued early Saturday by U.S. District Judge Paul Engelmayer in Manhattan, came after a coalition of Democratic attorneys general from 19 states filed a lawsuit arguing that Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) had no legal authority to access the systems.
The decision also applies to other political appointees of President Donald Trump’s administration. Musk, who was appointed by Trump to lead DOGE in identifying fraud and waste in government spending, called the ruling “absolutely insane!” on his social media platform, X. He defended DOGE’s efforts, stating that the Treasury Department and his team had agreed to improve transparency by requiring all outgoing payments to include a rationale and categorization code. He also emphasized that updates to the government’s do-not-pay list should occur more frequently.
The lawsuit warned that Musk’s access could disrupt federal funding for essential programs, including health clinics and climate initiatives, and that individuals could exploit it for political purposes. The state attorneys general argued that DOGE’s involvement posed significant cybersecurity threats, endangering critical funding for states and residents. Engelmayer noted the states’ claims as notably strong and justified emergency relief ahead of a full hearing scheduled for February 14.
Further, Engelmayer’s order prohibits DOGE officials, political appointees, and certain government employees from accessing Treasury Department payment systems. It also mandates that any data obtained by unauthorized individuals be immediately destroyed.
Nevertheless, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, a Trump appointee, reassured that Musk would not directly control the department’s payment system and that decisions on government payments would remain with other agencies.
