Judge relaxes ban on DOGE access to sensitive US Treasury information
SUMMARY
New York federal Judge Jeannette A. Vargas dialed back her ban on Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), letting one worker, Ryan Wunderly, tap into sensitive U.S. Treasury data. In her late Friday ruling, Vargas said Wunderly can access payment records and systems holding Social Security and bank account info if he completes standard Treasury training and files a financial disclosure report. “Wunderly will be able to access payment records, payment systems and any other Treasury Department data systems containing personally identifiable information and confidential financial information of payees,” she wrote. The decision tweaks a February 11, 2025, block Vargas slapped on DOGE after 19 Democratic state attorneys general sued, claiming Musk’s “political appointees” shouldn’t touch records meant for trained civil servants. DOGE, launched by Trump to slash government waste, says it’s modernizing Treasury payments.
