A federal judge in New York heard arguments on Friday as multiple states seek to block Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) from accessing sensitive Treasury Department records.
More than a dozen states, including New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut, are challenging the Trump administration’s decision to grant DOGE access to financial data, calling it a major security breach.
States Claim DOGE Breached Sensitive Financial Data
New York Attorney General Letitia James and Connecticut Attorney General William Tong claim DOGE is responsible for one of the largest data breaches in American history, potentially exposing:
- Social Security numbers
- Banking details
- Home addresses
- Biometric data
“We stand together to stop Elon Musk and his army of tech bro-wannabe storm troopers from tearing up the Treasury Department,” said Tong.
James added, “No one elected Elon Musk and his minions.”
Legal Arguments and Court Proceedings
The coalition of 19 attorneys general argued:
- State financial data was accessed without authorization
- DOGE had no legal right to Treasury payment systems
- The agency was negligent in handling the information
Meanwhile, attorneys for the Justice Department defended DOGE, stating:
“There’s nothing unlawful about the Treasury carrying out the priorities of a new administration using special government employees.”
However, when the judge pressed the Justice Department on whether information was shared outside the Treasury, they responded:
“There were emails sent outside Treasury. We do not know the content…”
Ongoing Investigation and Next Steps
Temporary Restraining Order Still in Place: The judge did not issue an immediate ruling but maintained the temporary restraining order against DOGE’s access to Treasury records.
Treasury Department Under Audit: The Treasury Department’s Office of Inspector General has launched an audit to review security controls for the federal payment system.
As the legal battle continues, this case could have significant implications for financial data security, government oversight, and the limits of executive power.
