A US District Judge has restricted Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency from obtaining personal financial information, citing potential risks to sensitive data and federal law violations.
Judge Blocks Musk's Initiative from Accessing Treasury Records
Judge Blocks Musk's Initiative from Accessing Treasury Records
A federal injunction halts Elon Musk's team's access to sensitive financial data.
In a significant legal development, a federal judge has prohibited Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (Doge) from accessing the Treasury Department’s personal financial records of millions of Americans. US District Judge Paul A. Engelmayer delivered a preliminary injunction on Saturday, demanding immediate destruction of any previously obtained records by Musk's team.
The injunction arose after a coalition of 19 state attorneys general filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, objecting to Doge's access to personal data. The attorneys general claimed that allowing Musk, a "special government employee," to review these records is a breach of federal law, as Doge does not qualify as a recognized government entity.
While responses from the White House, President Donald Trump, and Musk remain absent, Engelmayer's order emphasized the potential "irreparable" harm that states would endure without judicial intervention. His ruling highlighted both the risks of exposing sensitive personal information and an increased vulnerability to hacking.
The injunction strictly limits access to Treasury records, reserving it exclusively for civil servants at the Bureau of Fiscal Services who have undergone appropriate background checks. Judge Engelmayer has also mandated that anyone not qualified under this description must destroy any copies of sensitive records within their possession.
This judicial decision will stay in effect until the next court hearing scheduled for February 14. Musk's involvement in government initiatives has drawn attention, especially as Doge continues to implement significant budget cuts at organizations like the US Agency for International Development (USAID), which is responsible for distributing aid on a global scale.
