Top aides to billionaire Elon Musk have gained access to a sensitive U.S. Treasury Department system that controls the flow of trillions of dollars in federal payments. This access was granted by Scott Bessent, who was confirmed as Treasury Secretary last week, following the controversial ousting of the department’s top career official.
The decision to grant Musk’s surrogates access to the Treasury’s payments system, which handles over $6 trillion annually, has drawn sharp criticism from lawmakers and former officials. The system is responsible for processing a wide range of critical government payments, including Social Security and Medicare benefits, salaries for federal employees, payments to government contractors, and tax refunds.
On Friday, Bessent approved the request from Tom Krause, a Silicon Valley executive who is working with Musk’s newly created “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE), to access the system. The move follows the removal of David A. Lebryk, a long-time Treasury career official, who had served as the acting secretary prior to Bessent’s confirmation. According to sources familiar with the situation, Lebryk had resisted handing over access to Musk’s team, believing it was inappropriate for political appointees to be involved in such sensitive matters.
“I can think of no good reason why political operators who have demonstrated a blatant disregard for the law would need access to these sensitive, mission-critical systems,” said Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Oregon), who strongly condemned the move. “These payment systems simply cannot fail, and any politically motivated meddling in them risks severe damage to our country and the economy,” Wyden added in a letter to Bessent on Friday.
Lebryk, who had served in various nonpolitical roles at the Treasury for decades, was placed on administrative leave by Trump administration officials before announcing his retirement on Friday. The change in leadership has sparked concerns over the potential risks associated with giving Musk’s surrogates access to systems that are integral to the financial well-being of millions of Americans.
Historically, access to these systems has been tightly controlled, with only a small group of career employees authorized to oversee the operations. Former Treasury officials have stated that it is highly unusual, if not unprecedented, for political appointees or individuals with political ties to be given such access. The sensitive nature of the Treasury’s payment systems has long been a point of contention, as any disruption or interference could have disastrous consequences for the nation’s economy.
Musk, known for his aggressive approach to leadership and his ambitious ventures in technology and business, has sought to expand his influence within the U.S. government. His surrogates have already been installed at several key agencies, including the Office of Personnel Management, which manages federal human resources, and the General Services Administration, responsible for managing government real estate.
The newly created DOGE, which operates from a White House office formerly known as the U.S. Digital Service, has gained significant visibility into technology across the federal government. However, critics argue that Musk’s expanding influence within the government could lead to conflicts of interest, particularly when it comes to managing taxpayer funds and government resources.
Both Treasury and DOGE have declined to comment on the recent developments, leaving questions about the rationale behind granting such access unanswered. In the wake of this decision, Democratic lawmakers and former officials have called for greater scrutiny of the arrangement and warned of the risks posed by giving politically connected figures access to systems that are vital to the country’s economic stability.
