Ex-SpaceX Engineer With Musk Ties Granted High-Level Treasury Access — Lawmakers Raise Red Flags

A 25-year-old engineer with ties to Elon Musk's companies has been granted extensive access to critical U.S. Treasury Department payment systems, raising alarm among government officials and cybersecurity experts.

Marko Elez, a former SpaceX  and X employee, has administrator-level privileges on two of the government's most sensitive financial systems, the Payment Automation Manager and the Secure Payment System, which pay government bills and keeps personal data and credit card details confidential, respectively. Between the two of them, they control over a fifth of the U.S. economy.

Elez's permissions, according to three sources cited by WIRED, which first reported this story, extend beyond read-only access, allowing him to write code on these systems that are housed within the Bureau of the Fiscal Service (BFS).

"You could do anything with these privileges," a source familiar with the system told WIRED. A federal IT worker also told the outlet that, "A week ago, I'd have told you this could never happen. But now, who the f **k knows."

Concerns Over Data Transfers And Political Manipulation

Sources say they fear that Elez and others tied to Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) may funnel sensitive data to operatives within the General Services Administration (GSA). Investigations by WIRED suggest that Musk's associates, including several former Tesla and X engineers, have already gained access to the GSA using White House security credentials to access its systems in what experts call a severe security risk.

Why It Matters Quite A Bit

The BFS processes payments for crucial government programs, including Social Security, veteran benefits and federal tax returns, which amounted to $5.45 trillion in fiscal year 2024. Lawmakers also worry that DOGE's access could allow political interference with these payments.

On Monday, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said “before our very eyes, an unelected shadow government is conducting a hostile takeover of the federal government.”

In a letter to President Donald Trump on Tuesday, seven ranking members of House committees demanded explanations as to whether members of DOGE have security clearances, whether they have accessed classified or sensitive information and which government agencies they are working with, reported News 5 Cleveland.

Political Fallout Is Just Beginning: Dems Where Are You?

The growing dispute over DOGE's access to Treasury systems has already led to high-level resignations. Acting Treasury Secretary David Lebryk, a career Treasury official who clashed with DOGE resigned last week.

Meanwhile, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said, “No Democrat should be voting to advance [President Donald] Trump’s nominees while all of this stuff is going on,” in a 90-minute Instagram Live video. “There has to be a political price to pay and we have a responsibility as a party to block everything that is happening while they’re setting a literal match to the federal government.”

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