The left is fighting tooth and nail to stop Trump.
A group of Democratic state attorneys general recently filed a lawsuit against former President Donald Trump in an attempt to block Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) from accessing sensitive personal data stored within the U.S. Treasury Department.
The legal challenge follows allegations that DOGE employees gained unauthorized access to the Treasury’s payments system, which handles trillions of taxpayer dollars. This system manages critical federal disbursements, including tax refunds, veterans’ benefits, Social Security payments, and Medicare and Medicaid funding. The system also holds a vast amount of personal financial data on millions of Americans. In addition, DOGE reportedly accessed other important government databases, including the Office of Personnel Management, which contains personal data of federal workers, and the General Services Administration.
Nineteen Democratic attorneys general filed the lawsuit, accusing the Trump administration of violating federal law by allowing Musk and his team to access this highly sensitive information. New York Attorney General Letitia James argued that, as the world’s wealthiest individual, Musk should not have unchecked power over private data. She stated, “No one is above the law, and the President does not have the authority to give away our private information to anyone he chooses.”
The lawsuit names President Trump, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and the Treasury Department as defendants, claiming that expanding access to the Treasury’s Bureau of the Fiscal Service (BFS) was unlawful. BFS, responsible for disbursing federal funds, handles critical personally identifiable information (PII), such as Social Security and bank account numbers.
Up until now, access to BFS was tightly controlled, with only a small group of career civil servants granted permission to ensure the system functioned properly. However, the lawsuit claims the Trump administration expanded access to political appointees and “special government employees,” allegedly to advance political objectives. One of DOGE’s stated goals was to freeze federal funds for certain programs that did not align with the President’s agenda, including halting payments from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). These disruptions, the lawsuit contends, affected various programs, including health clinics, schools, and climate initiatives.
A federal judge has already ruled to limit DOGE’s access to the Treasury’s systems, granting only “read-only” access for two of the special government employees involved. However, the full scope of DOGE’s access to sensitive information remains unclear. Critics argue that Musk and his team may still possess the ability to freeze payments and route sensitive data to unauthorized individuals.
Since President Trump’s inauguration, DOGE has faced mounting criticism and legal challenges. Musk and his allies have reportedly sought access to other key federal agencies, such as the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the Small Business Administration. In response, the White House clarified that Musk’s role as a “special government employee” did not involve compensation, although DOGE had recently hired salaried employees.
The White House is expected to push for the dismissal of the lawsuit, but concerns over government overreach and the protection of Americans’ privacy rights remain at the forefront. Many Republicans argue that these legal challenges are part of a broader effort to undermine the Trump administration’s efforts to introduce accountability and efficiency in government operations.