NDTV Explainer: What Is Elon Musk's DOGE And Why It Has Americans Worried?

A US judge early on Saturday temporarily blocked Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) from accessing records from the Treasury Department containing sensitive personal data of millions of Americans, including their social security and bank account numbers.

US district judge Paul A. Engelmayer issued the preliminary injunction after 19 Democratic states sued President Donald Trump in federal court in New York City for letting Elon Musk's staff access sensitive government payment systems in violation of federal law.

This adds to the slew of legal actions as Democrats and others fight Trump and his cost-cutting czar Musk in court. On Thursday, a federal judge in Massachusetts temporarily suspended a scheme masterminded by Musk to slash the size of the US government by encouraging America's more than two million government employees to quit through a mass buyout.

Musk, the world's richest person and President Donald Trump's biggest donor, is in charge of a free-ranging entity called the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) that aims to gut the government.

What Is DOGE And Who Is In The Team?

Despite its name, DOGE is not a government department, and Musk does not draw a government salary. The department's creation has drawn lawsuits from government unions, watchdogs and public interest groups alike.

Exactly who makes up DOGE is unclear. The Trump administration has not released a list of DOGE employees. Nor has it said how they are being paid, or how many have entered each agency.

But DOGE's actions since Trump took over the White House appear to be focusing on technology and personnel in its stated goal to cut government spending. Staffers connected to DOGE and often to Musk's companies, including SpaceX and Tesla, are fanning out across federal agencies, where they are gaining access to sensitive systems and information on government payments and employees.

Musk and his DOGE lieutenants have taken over the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and the General Services Administration (GSA) along with their computer systems.

OPM is the human resources arm of the US government, overseeing 2.2 million government workers. From there, emails have been sent out in the past week offering federal employees financial incentives to quit. The GSA oversees most government contracts and manages federal property.

At least four current and former Musk aides are part of a team that has taken over OPM, shutting out some senior managers from their own computer systems, sources told news agency Reuters.

Last Thursday, Musk visited the GSA while members of his team moved into the agency. Next Day, the team gained access to the US Treasury Department's payment system, which sends out more than $6 trillion a year on behalf of federal agencies and contains the personal information of millions of Americans who receive Social Security payments, tax refunds and other monies from the government.

Michael Linden, a senior official during the administration of former President Joe Biden at the Office of Management and Budget told Reuters that the access by Musk's aides to payment systems gives them extraordinary potential power.

"They could get to pick and choose which payments the federal government makes," Linden said.

Musk's Influence In Washington

Musk's rapid takeover of US government agencies has enabled the South African-born billionaire to exert unprecedented control over America's 2.2-million-member federal workforce and begin a dramatic reshaping of government.

The world's richest man and an ally of President Donald Trump, Musk, 53, has in two weeks created a new centre of power in Washington as he executes Trump's cost-cutting initiative to reduce the size of the US government.

DOGE's actions have fostered a wave of panic among government workers and public protests in Washington with its effort to shut down USAID, the Agency for International Development, America's main humanitarian aid agency to the world.

Musk Enjoys Trump's Support

Nonetheless, Musk operates at Trump's pleasure. The president told reporters on Monday that the billionaire had to seek approval from the White House for any of his actions.

"Elon can't do and won't do anything without our approval, and we'll give him the approval, where appropriate; where not appropriate, we won't. But he reports in," he said.

A White House source told Reuters that "those leading this mission with Elon Musk are doing so in full compliance with federal law, appropriate security clearances, and as employees of the relevant agencies, not as outside advisors or entities."