Billionaire Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) and SpaceX, is spearheading U.S. President Donald Trump’s initiative to shrink the federal government. On Monday, Musk will provide an update on the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) via a social media talk on X.
Reports from the New York Times suggest Musk has been granted access to a Treasury Department system handling over $6 trillion in payments annually, including Social Security disbursements and tax refunds. The move has sparked concerns about data security and governmental oversight.
Senator Peter Welch, a Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, criticized the decision, calling it a "gross abuse of power" and demanding answers regarding Musk’s access to taxpayers' sensitive information.
Trump, however, stands by Musk’s leadership, praising him as a "big cost-cutter" and acknowledging potential disagreements while expressing confidence in his fiscal strategies.
Additionally, Reuters reported that Musk’s team, overseeing the U.S. government’s human resources agency, has restricted career civil servants from accessing critical personnel databases. Since taking control of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) on Trump’s inauguration day, Musk’s allies have swiftly installed key personnel and implemented major administrative changes.
In just 11 days, Trump has taken significant steps to restructure the federal government, dismissing or sidelining hundreds of officials in a bid to downsize bureaucracy and reinforce loyalty within his administration.
Musk’s growing influence over government systems, particularly financial and personnel management, continues to raise concerns about transparency and security. His upcoming talk is expected to shed light on the administration’s cost-cutting measures and the broader implications of his role.