Democrat lawmakers have demanded an explanation from the Trump administration as to why tech entrepreneur Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is reportedly seeking access to sensitive payment systems in the Treasury Department.
Newsweek reached out by email to the White House and the Treasury on Saturday afternoon for comment.
Why It Matters
Musk and DOGE have aggressively pursued every avenue available in an effort to cut what they view as immensely wasteful federal spending. The most ambitious effort involved the attempt to freeze all federal spending on grants, totaling several trillion dollars.
President Donald Trump initially ordered the U.S. Office of Management and Budget to freeze federal grants and loans on Monday, but by Wednesday had rescinded the order following immense confusion and backlash.
Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk arrives for the inauguration of Donald Trump in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda on January 20 in Washington, D.C. Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk arrives for the inauguration of Donald Trump in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda on January 20 in Washington, D.C. Saul Loeb-Pool/Getty Images
What To Know
Confusion erupted at the Treasury Department on Friday as career staffer David A. Lebryk announced his retirement.
The reason for his exit was not announced, but reports from The New York Times, The Washington Post and The Hill, citing anonymous sources, claimed that it was due to an ongoing clash between Lebryk and DOGE personnel who wanted to gain access to