Elon Musk has access to the federal payment system. What could go wrong?

The US Treasury Department under Donald Trump has given billionaire megalomaniac Elon Musk and his team full access to the federal payment system:

WTF is going on?! pic.twitter.com/6veHBQ6HOt

— chris evans (@notcapnamerica) February 1, 2025

Elon Musk: doge-ing accountability over federal payment system access

According to ABC News, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) – spearheaded by Musk – now has access to this. Essentially, this is the entire federal government’s chequebook. Usually, only a few people are authorised to access the highly sensitive information on American citizens.

Last week, the Treasury announced that David Lebryk, a ‘top-ranking career US official’ who previously oversaw the payment system would retire. This was after clashes with the new administration and resistance towards granting Musk’s team access to the database:

Is anyone going to stand up and do something about this or are we seriously just going to let the richest man in the world in charge of a fake government agency, have uncontrolled access to the treasury? https://t.co/JRBz6RPtVo

— Nick Forsythe 🏳️‍🌈 (@njfproductions) February 1, 2025

What could be even more scary than a misogynistic rapist running the most powerful country in the world? Well…

Scariest thing in the world is someone with no security clearance and no regulations… having control of all federal funds https://t.co/RqU0Vfubs1

— Ivens Applyrs 🇭🇹 (@Ivens_Applyrs) February 2, 2025

That’s right, his billionaire pal who has no security clearance and uses his autism as an excuse to make Nazi salutes:

Oligarchy and authoritarian takeover https://t.co/JiTlzdUAEO

— Ameshia Cross (@AmeshiaCross) February 1, 2025

The federal payment system controls $6 trillion annually. It includes social security, Medicare, salaries for federal workers, payments to government contractors, payments to grant recipients, and tax refunds. This means Musk and his cronies now have access to the personal, sensitive information of hundreds of millions of Americans:

It means that all the personal data of every single American citizen including all their health data and their IRS data are in the hands of a private person and owned by a private company now. They can do what they want. Unfortunately US congress is quiet and doesnt do anything.

— Guenter GR (@GrGuenter) February 1, 2025

Data breach?

Musk has no security clearance, meaning American citizens did not consent for their information to be passed on to a non-government entity:

@unty_tan #databreach #federalpaymentsystem ♬ original sound – Unty Tan

@awellmadewoman #foryou #fyp #fypシ #creatorsearchinsights #fypシ゚viral #blacktiktok #disabilitytiktok #disability #disabled #asd #genx #elonmusk #socialsecurity #politicstiktok #usa #america #tariffs #taxes #usatiktok🇺🇸 #momsoftiktok ♬ original sound – The Corporate Clapback

It’s not going to end well:

The richest man on earth officially has total control over the flow of federal funds in the United States. Dumbass also has access to every single citizen’s personal information. This is a violation so absurd I don’t have words for it that won’t get me out on a list. https://t.co/XrtAzw6HRs

— sarah🪐 (@Lagroski) February 1, 2025

I am a veteran. I put my name on that dotted line and swore an oath to this country.

I am married, disabled, and a college senior and thanks to the VA, I’ve been given the help I’ve needed.

This fucker shouldn’t be ANYWHERE near the ability to jeopardize my future. https://t.co/UiY9d911KV

— BJ Blaskowitz (@tchallasbeard) February 2, 2025

Donald Trump has already started deporting immigrants. Meanwhile, he’s letting a South African immigrant do whatever the fuck he wants at the highest levels of government. But as we already know, the rules don’t apply to white billionaires:

So yall deporting immigrants while simultaneously allowing this bitch, WHO IS ALSO AN IMMIGRANT, to do whatever TF he wants because he’s rich. I see why other countries are laughing at us. A fucking joke https://t.co/rhljXGhc0H

— Hibachi Benihana Teriyaki (@MaNNiNGGGGG_eLi) February 2, 2025

Musk has already shown us what he’s capable of with unrestricted access to a platform with personal information. His manipulation of algorithms on X means his posts – and those of his pals – flood our feeds.

Think of that, but on steroids. That’s exactly what the US is in for:

Remember how Musk secretly manipulates X’s algorithm so his posts flood your feed?

Now imagine that—but with your tax dollars, funneled straight into his pockets.

If this goes through, we’re looking at an Enron-type scandal—cooking the books at the highest levels of government.…

— Hashim Mteuzi, PMP (@Mteuzi) January 31, 2025

Nothing short of an Elon Musk coup

As Seth Masket, of tusk emphasised, no matter how much they sell this as another government efficiency scheme, it is nothing short of a coup. What else can you call it when a private citizen takes control of government offices?

This is an excellent summary of Musk’s takeover of the Treasury from @NYMag’s @chasdanner, with quotes from WSJ, NYT, WaPo, and my op-ed from @MSNBC yesterday.

But this quote from @smotus is right on the money. This isn’t efficiency. It’s a coup. https://t.co/XivGG5Zz2H pic.twitter.com/byENKbAoc3

— Lindsay Owens (@owenslindsay1) February 2, 2025

THIS SHOWS YOU HOW COMPLETELY INSANE THE SECOND TRUMP ADMINISTRATION HAS BECOME, ALLOWING A PRIVATE, NEVER ELECTED CITIZEN TO OBTAIN A POWERFUL POSITION IN THE US GOVERNMENT.
H O W M U C H W O R S E C A N T H I N G S B E C O M E ?
THIS IS TOTAL CORRUPTION !! https://t.co/lVPkZq9PPe

— JanWLng (@WriterJan) February 1, 2025

I think this is highly illegal, and Musk needs to be jailed & deported for this activity. https://t.co/7Ai2ZVtAjd

— Donald Trump is a white DEI hire (@Needle_of_Arya) February 1, 2025

There should be no doubt that the US is anything but the stronghold of democracy it projects to the world. It’s a billionaire oligarchy and slush fund for the richest man on the planet. But then, that should have been obvious already.

Maybe this is how Elon Musk will finally pay for Twitter?

Feature image via the Canary