Musk and DOGE Exposes Massive Treasury Payment Scandal, Terrorists Involved

Tech billionaire Elon Musk raised concerns over alleged “fraudulent” Treasury payments on Saturday, as reports emerged that the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has gained access to the federal government’s payment system.

The move comes as the Trump administration continues efforts to cut what it calls government waste and overspending.

Musk, who serves as the chair of DOGE, took to X early Saturday morning to highlight what he described as a troubling discovery within the Treasury Department’s payment approval process.

Celebrate Trump’s Historic 2024 Victory with the Exclusive Trump 47th President Collection!

“The @DOGE team discovered, among other things, that payment approval officers at Treasury were instructed always to approve payments, even to known fraudulent or terrorist groups. They literally never denied a payment in their entire career. Not even once,” Musk wrote.

The @DOGE team discovered, among other things, that payment approval officers at Treasury were instructed always to approve payments, even to known fraudulent or terrorist groups.

They literally never denied a payment in their entire career.

Not even once. https://t.co/kInoGWdw4C

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 1, 2025

His comments came just hours before The New York Times reported that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent had granted DOGE personnel access to the department’s payment system.

The Treasury processes approximately $6 trillion in federal payments annually, covering everything from Social Security and Medicare benefits to government contracts.

Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR), the ranking Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, expressed concerns over DOGE’s role in overseeing federal payments.

“Sources tell my office that Treasury Secretary Bessent has granted DOGE full access to this system. Social Security and Medicare benefits, grants, payments to government contractors, including those that compete directly with Musk’s own companies. All of it,” Wyden posted on BlueSky Saturday evening.

Wyden’s remarks highlight growing Democratic opposition to Trump’s aggressive push to overhaul government spending.

DOGE’s reported access to the payment system follows a shake-up within the Treasury Department.

The Washington Post reported Friday that former acting director of the Treasury, David A. Lebryk, is set to exit the department after clashing with officials over DOGE’s involvement in financial oversight.

Lebryk briefly led the Treasury Department between President Trump’s inauguration on January 20 and Bessent’s confirmation on January 27.

His departure signals ongoing tensions between career bureaucrats and the Trump administration’s efforts to reshape federal financial management.

Beyond the Treasury, DOGE has also made headlines for its reported actions within the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), the federal agency responsible for human resources.

According to reports, some civil servants within OPM were locked out of the agency’s computer systems by DOGE personnel on Friday.

As questions swirl over DOGE’s expanding authority, Musk appeared unfazed, joking on X about the advantages of working on weekends.

“Very few in the bureaucracy actually work the weekend, so it’s like the opposing team just leaves the field for 2 days! Working the weekend is a superpower,” Musk posted.

Very few in the bureaucracy actually work the weekend, so it’s like the opposing team just leaves the field for 2 days!

Working the weekend is a superpower https://t.co/VgyBk1nJIO

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 1, 2025

President Trump officially established DOGE through an executive order signed on January 20. The order directs agency heads to provide DOGE with access to internal government platforms, including “software systems, and IT systems.”

The executive order states:

“Agency Heads shall take all necessary steps, in coordination with the USDS Administrator and to the maximum extent consistent with law, to ensure USDS has full and prompt access to all unclassified agency records, software systems, and IT systems. USDS shall adhere to rigorous data protection standards.”

While DOGE is not a standalone government department, it operates as a special task force within the Trump administration, tasked with uncovering inefficiencies and cutting wasteful spending.

Trump and Musk have long previewed the creation of DOGE, with both men repeatedly calling for a crackdown on government inefficiency.

Musk notably hosted Trump for an interview on X in August, during which he criticized excessive federal spending as a primary driver of inflation.

“A lot of people just don’t understand where inflation comes from. Inflation comes from government overspending because the checks never bounce when it’s written by the government,” Musk explained during the conversation.

He continued: “So really we need to reduce our government spending, and we need to re-examine… I think we need a government efficiency commission to say like, ‘Hey, where are we spending money that’s sensible? Where is it not sensible?’”

Since its launch, DOGE has provided frequent updates on its work through its X account. Last week, the team announced it had already cut over $1 billion in federal spending by eliminating various diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and personnel.

Updated data on DEI related contract cancellations with full detail: https://t.co/hEBk62KQvN pic.twitter.com/kcPATigb3x

— Department of Government Efficiency (@DOGE) January 31, 2025

The White House and the Treasury Department have not yet responded to requests for comment on DOGE’s latest actions.

As the Trump administration continues pushing for sweeping changes in federal spending, all eyes are on how DOGE will reshape government operations in the months ahead.

The opinions expressed by contributors and/or content partners are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of LifeZette. Contact us for guidelines on submitting your own commentary.