On Friday, a federal judge issued a temporary restraining order preventing Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) from accessing Treasury Department payment records. Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly ruled that Treasury officials must not provide access to any payment records within the Bureau of Fiscal Service. The order allows two Musk allies, Tom Krause and Marko Elez, to retain “read-only” access to the payment system but forbids them from sharing data with third parties. The order came after a lawsuit by labor unions, claiming that DOGE’s actions could result in the illegal disclosure of sensitive personal information. While the case remains unresolved, the order aims to maintain the status quo until further legal proceedings. DOGE has already implemented significant budget cuts, eliminating $1 billion in spending across various federal agencies.
