Musk takes control of US Treasury payments systems
Elon Musk’s associates have assumed control of the U.S. Treasury Department’s payments system, which oversees trillions of dollars in transactions annually, raising concerns among critics.
Musk, the world’s wealthiest individual, is spearheading President Donald Trump’s federal cost-cutting initiatives under the newly established “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE).
“Corruption and waste are being eliminated in real-time,” Musk announced on Sunday via X, the social media platform he owns.
In response to a post detailing alleged payments to Lutheran charities, Musk stated that DOGE was “quickly halting these illegal payments.”
The Treasury’s highly secure payments system manages the financial operations of the U.S. government, including $6 trillion annually for Social Security, Medicare, federal salaries, and other essential disbursements.
Musk’s oversight of the payments system was authorized by incoming Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. This move became feasible after a career official was placed on administrative leave on Friday for refusing to grant access, as first reported by “The Washington Post”.
The official subsequently retired from the department, according to a source familiar with the matter who spoke to AFP.
On Sunday, Trump commended Musk as “a significant cost-cutter.”
“There may be times when we disagree and choose not to follow his recommendations, but I believe he’s doing an excellent job,” Trump added.
News outlet *Wired* was the first to report that Musk has positioned young representatives from DOGE in key government roles, granting his team unprecedented access to payment systems typically reserved for career employees.
These staff members, reportedly aged between 19 and 24, were also assigned to the federal Office of Personnel Management, the HR department for public workers.
Last week, the office sent out an email offering most employees the option to leave the government immediately with approximately nine months’ pay.