Under the Trump administration, a report by Wired indicates that at least one agency is monitoring the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and its extensive reach within the government. According to the publication, which cites government records and sources, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) initiated an investigation in March into Elon Musk’s agency and its management of data across various government offices.
The GAO has requested information from several agencies where DOGE has been active, including the Social Security Administration, the Departments of Education, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Labor, and the Treasury. These requests include details on “potential or actual misuse of agency systems or data” and records of systems accessed by DOGE, among other information.
This audit represents the first major challenge to DOGE’s operations not originating from the courts. As reported by Wired, the investigation is slated to conclude by the end of spring and will result in a publicly accessible report focusing on DOGE’s compliance with privacy and data protection laws. The investigation was reportedly prompted by requests from multiple agencies, suggesting that there are still individuals within the workforce who are skeptical of Musk and the DOGE team’s activities.
While the specifics of the GAO report are yet to be revealed, it is clear that DOGE is operating under the principle of “move fast and break things,” with a strong drive to access a vast amount of information. Earlier this month, it was disclosed that Musk’s group was planning to create a system to facilitate easier access to taxpayer data. DOGE has allegedly been on a quest to gain extensive personal information while navigating government systems. A New York Times article recently detailed the significant volume of data DOGE might have collected from various agencies, which includes at least 314 different data points such as medical notes, credit history, and biometric identifiers.
Efforts to restrict DOGE’s reach have seen limited success. Although several courts have temporarily blocked DOGE from accessing certain information, higher courts have permitted them to proceed, and it is unlikely that the Supreme Court will intervene. The upcoming GAO report might uncover instances of misconduct or careless disregard for regulations that could potentially justify curbing DOGE’s actions, but for now, DOGE’s operations continue unabated.
