Over the weekend, tech billionaire Elon Musk raised concerns about alleged fraudulent Treasury payments as reports surfaced regarding the Department of Government Efficiency gaining access to the federal government's payment system. Musk, who chairs the DOGE team, revealed that payment approval officers at Treasury were reportedly instructed to always approve payments, even to known fraudulent or terrorist groups, without ever denying a payment.
The New York Times later reported that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent granted DOGE personnel access to the payment system, which handles approximately $6 trillion in payments for federal agencies annually.
Senator Ron Wyden, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, also confirmed that DOGE was granted full access to the system, including managing Social Security and Medicare benefits, grants, and payments to government contractors.
DOGE's access to the payment system follows a clash within the Treasury Department over granting such access, leading to the exit of former acting director David A. Lebryk. Additionally, reports emerged that civil servants within the Office of Personnel Management were allegedly locked out of their computer systems by DOGE.
DOGE was established via an executive order signed by former President Donald Trump, aiming to enhance government efficiency by providing access to internal government platforms. Trump and Musk had previously highlighted the need to address overspending and fraud within the federal government.
In a previous interview, Musk emphasized the link between government overspending and inflation, advocating for a government efficiency commission to evaluate spending practices. The creation of DOGE reflects ongoing efforts to streamline government operations and combat financial inefficiencies.
