A federal judge has issued a temporary restraining order limiting the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) from accessing certain Treasury Department payment records, marking a significant development in the ongoing legal battle over government oversight and data privacy.
The ruling, handed down by Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly late Wednesday, limits DOGE from obtaining records from the Treasury’s Bureau of Fiscal Service, which processes an estimated 90% of federal payments.
The decision comes amid mounting concerns over the potential misuse of sensitive financial data and DOGE’s authority under the Trump administration.
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The Department of Justice (DOJ) had proposed an agreement that would have restricted access to just two “special government employees” within DOGE.
Under Judge Kollar-Kotelly’s order, only Tom Krause, CEO of Cloud Software Group, and Marko Elez, a former Musk company engineer, will be permitted read-only access to the Treasury’s systems.
This limitation means that while DOGE’s team can review federal payment data, they cannot make any modifications to Treasury programs or financial records.
The dispute stems from a lawsuit filed by government employee unions, which challenged Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s decision to grant access to DOGE, particularly its chair, Elon Musk. The lawsuit argues that Musk and his team were given broad and unprecedented access to federal payment systems, raising concerns about privacy, security, and political influence.
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DOGE, established under President Trump’s administration, is tasked with evaluating federal programs and spending, including agencies like USAID, which has a $40 billion budget.
However, critics contend that DOGE’s involvement could lead to the misuse of personal financial records and politically motivated oversight.
The temporary restraining order is only an initial ruling, with further hearings expected in the coming weeks. The case will determine whether DOGE’s investigative authority over federal financial records should be expanded or restricted.
For now, the judge’s order ensures that DOGE’s access to Treasury data remains limited, pending further review of the department’s role, transparency measures, and security safeguards.
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