Article Details

Scrape Timestamp (UTC): 2025-04-15 17:51:51.953

Source: https://www.theregister.com/2025/04/15/doges_access_to_treasury_systems/

Original Article Text

Click to Toggle View

All right, you can have one: DOGE access to Treasury IT OK'd judge. Login green-lit for lone staffer if he’s trained, papered up, won’t pull an Elez. A federal judge has partly lifted an injunction against Elon Musk's Trump-blessed cost-trimming DOGE unit, allowing one staff member to access sensitive US Treasury payment systems. This access includes personally identifiable financial information tied to millions of Americans. Judge Jeanette Vargas, who issued a preliminary injunction [PDF] in February halting DOGE's access to the Treasury's Bureau of Fiscal Services (BFS) systems, reversed course late Friday in a New York City hearing — but only for one DOGE staffer. DOGE aide broke Treasury policy by 'emailing unencrypted database' In her order [PDF], Vargas said Ryan Wunderly can be granted access provided he completes the required hands-on training and files a financial disclosure report. Wunderly replaced former DOGE tech specialist Marko Elez, who left the team in February after being linked to a racist Twitter account. Elez was also accused of emailing an unencrypted Treasury database containing people's private information to two Trump administration officials, while rifling through the department's IT systems. In her February order, Vargas barred the DOGE team from accessing Treasury systems holding sensitive financial data, citing the political unit's "chaotic and haphazard" approach to probing government bodies, and calling the Treasury Department's decision to grant initial access to DOGE operatives "arbitrary and capricious." But with the above hurdles cleared, Wunderly will be able to access BFS databases of personally identifiable information, aka PII, of US citizens – including Social Security numbers, birth dates, and bank account details. Judge Vargas had earlier indicated the injunction could be modified or lifted if the Trump administration fixed the "procedure defects" around protecting confidential information. In her latest order, she found that those concerns had been sufficiently addressed, as described, at least for one DOGE staffer. The new order allows Wunderly access to "Treasury Department payment records, payment systems, and any other data systems maintained by the Treasury Department containing personally identifiable information and/or confidential financial information of payees." Referring back to the February injunction, Vargas explained her earlier ruling was driven by the Treasury Department's failure to properly vet and train DOGE members, the ambiguity around who they reported to, the lack of clarity about their hiring authority, and inadequate safeguards to protect sensitive financial data. "The government's extensive submissions … largely alleviate those concerns," Vargas wrote in the April decision.  DOGE has been the subject of multiple lawsuits with regard to its access to personal data held in government systems. Courts in Washington, DC and Maryland have issued rulings temporarily blocking DOGE from accessing PII belonging to plaintiffs. The unit is run by SpaceX oligarch and President Trump's éminence grease Elon Musk, who last week admitted his team is likely to cut just $150 billion of federal government spending, rather than the trillion-plus promised. Uncle Sam spends about $7 trillion a year, so DOGE is looking at trimming about two percent of that.

Daily Brief Summary

MISCELLANEOUS // Federal Judge Partially Lifts Ban on DOGE's Treasury Access

A federal judge has conditionally lifted an injunction allowing a single DOGE staffer, Ryan Wunderly, access to sensitive US Treasury systems following proper training and compliance.

This decision modifies a previous ruling from February which entirely blocked DOGE's access due to concerns over handling and safeguarding of sensitive financial data.

Ryan Wunderly's access to the US Treasury's payment and data systems is contingent upon completing required training and submitting a financial disclosure report.

The injunction was initially placed due to inappropriate actions by a former DOGE aide, who breached policy by mishandling unencrypted data.

Judge Jeanette Vargas's decision to grant limited access came after the Trump administration addressed procedural deficiencies around the protection of confidential information.

The decision allows access to extensive Treasury data, including personally identifiable information of US citizens, raising concerns about privacy and security.

DOGE, led by Elon Musk and endorsed by President Trump, aims to cut federal spending but has faced multiple lawsuits over privacy violations related to accessing government data.