Elon Musk's Team Faces Scrutiny over Treasury Access, DOJ Confirms Limitations

Elon Musk has raised concerns about fraud within the U.S. Treasury, claiming that previous management hindered employees from identifying approximately $50 billion in fraudulent payments. In response to congressional inquiries about the Department of Government Efficiency's (DOGE) access to the Treasury's payment systems, Treasury officials assured that Musk's team only has 'read-only' access to ensure efficiency and prevent fraud, with no influence on actual payment disbursements like Social Security or Medicare. A lawsuit from federal employee unions is challenging DOGE's access, fearing unauthorized data sharing, yet the Department of Justice stated there is a 'firewall' in place and no evidence of data compromise. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent emphasized that the access granted is aimed at improving accountability and integrity within the payment systems, not altering payment processes. Despite the controversy, officials maintain that there have been no delays or rerouting of crucial payments due to DOGE's involvement. The situation has sparked debates in Congress, reflecting bipartisan concerns over the integrity of the Treasury's operations.