Representatives of Elon Musk‘s Department of Government Efficiency have reportedly requested access to the payment systems of the U.S. Department of the Treasury, sparking concerns among officials.
What Happened: The Washington Post reported on Friday that Musk’s team is seeking access to the Treasury’s systems, which are used for a variety of functions.
These include the distribution of Social Security and Medicare benefits, federal employees’ salaries, payments to federal contractors, grants, tax refunds, and more.
The report also highlighted conflicts between Musk’s representatives and David Lebryk, the highest-ranking career official at the Treasury, who announced his retirement on Friday. The motive behind Musk’s team’s demand for access to these systems is not yet clear.
Following his election in November, President Donald Trump appointed Musk to head the “Department of Government Efficiency,” a commission aimed at eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse in federal spending. After taking office, Trump signed an executive order directing all federal agencies to provide the panel with “full and prompt access to all unclassified agency records, software systems, and IT systems.”
Musk, who owns X, has previously stated his desire to enable X users to make payments on the platform, with the goal of transforming X into the “everything app.” Earlier this week, it was reported that X will partner with VISA to help achieve this objective.
On the same day, Reuters reported that Musk’s aides had locked out employees of the Office of Personnel Management from the agency’s computers, according to two employees who spoke to Reuters.
Why It Matters: The move by Musk’s representatives to gain access to the Treasury’s payment systems could have significant implications.
While the exact reasons for this request are unclear, it comes at a time when Musk is making moves to transform his social media platform, X, into a comprehensive app that includes payment functionalities.
This development could potentially disrupt the traditional financial system and raise questions about data privacy and security.
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