Elon Musk, the American entrepreneur and head of the newly established U.S. Department of Efficiency (DOGE), has been granted access to the federal payment system by the U.S. Treasury, according to a report by The New York Times, citing sources.
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This access allows Musk and his team to monitor and potentially restrict government spending. The move comes amid reports of internal conflicts, including the departure of a senior Treasury official, David Lebrick, following disagreements with Musk’s allies over access to the payment system.
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Treasury Secretary Scott Immorta reportedly authorized the Department of Efficiency to access the federal payment system, equipping Musk and his team with significant oversight capabilities. The DOGE team has also sought access to data and systems from other federal agencies, though none control financial flows as extensively as the Treasury.
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This development is seen as part of the Trump administration’s efforts to create additional mechanisms for independently limiting the allocation of funds approved by Congress for specific purposes. Among those granted access to the payment system is Tom Krause, CEO of Silicon Valley’s Cloud Software Group, according to sources.
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Access to the federal payment system has traditionally been restricted to a small group of individuals due to the sensitive personal information it contains, including data on millions of Americans receiving pensions, tax refunds, and other federal payments.
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President Donald Trump previously announced the creation of the Department of Efficiency, led by Musk and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy, to reduce wasteful spending and restructure federal agencies.
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However, Ramaswamy has since stepped down from his role at DOGE, with reports suggesting he may soon announce a bid for the governorship of Ohio.
