Democratic attorneys general from 19 states have filed a federal lawsuit against the Trump administration, accusing the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Elon Musk, of unlawfully gaining access to sensitive personal data at the U.S. Treasury Department.
The lawsuit, filed Monday, alleges that DOGE accessed the Treasury’s central payment systems, which contain critical information about Americans’ Social Security, Medicare, veterans’ benefits, and tax refunds, among other data. The lawsuit claims that this access was granted at the direction of the Trump administration, without proper legal authority.
New York Attorney General Letitia James, who led the lawsuit, stated that former President Trump’s actions in granting DOGE such access violated privacy laws. “President Trump does not have the power to give away Americans’ private information to anyone he chooses, and he cannot cut federal payments approved by Congress,” James said. The lawsuit also asserts that DOGE and Musk’s team had “full access” to the payment systems, which includes sensitive data from millions of Americans.
In response to the lawsuit, Treasury officials denied any wrongdoing. They clarified that only two members of the DOGE team were granted “read-only” access to certain payment system data, and emphasized that the Treasury’s payment processing remained secure. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent defended DOGE, stating that the agency’s mission was to enhance government accountability and efficiency.
On Thursday, a federal judge ruled that DOGE’s access to the Treasury’s payment systems should be limited while the lawsuit proceeds. This ruling comes as the court also hears arguments from employee unions and retirees who had filed a separate suit over similar concerns about privacy and government accountability.
The lawsuit involves a coalition of 19 states, including Arizona, California, Colorado, and Illinois, all of which argue that DOGE’s actions violated both privacy and legal standards. As the case unfolds, the role of private tech companies in accessing government systems remains a contentious issue.
The lawsuit is the latest development in the ongoing debate about the role of government efficiency agencies like DOGE, which was created to root out wasteful spending within the government. However, critics, including the attorneys general behind the lawsuit, argue that the agency has overstepped its bounds, putting American citizens’ personal data at risk.
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