United States: Federal employee unions sued the Trump administration after Elon Musk received broad access through the “Department of Government Efficiency” (Doge) to sensitive government database information they claim violates privacy regulations.
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A federal court lawsuit filed on Monday accuses Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent of breaking federal privacy laws through his unrestricted granting of access to the Bureau of the Fiscal Service’s confidential payment platforms to Musk’s team.
Bessent started his position at the Bureau and immediately initiated the administrative leave of bureau official David A. Lebryk for his resistance to Doge’s data access demands, the Guardian reported.
Lebryk eventually retired from his position, as stated in the lawsuit.
Union’s claim

The unions maintain that the exposure of personal information belonging to millions of Americans threatens social security numbers along with tax records and payment records.
“The scale of the intrusion into individuals’ privacy is massive and unprecedented,” as the complaint mentioned.
The interim US attorney for Washington, Ed Martin, issued a statement on Monday that interfering with or preventing Musk’s team would result in aggressive prosecution.
Martin wrote in a letter on X that targeting Doge personnel would break multiple legal standards. “We will not tolerate threats against Doge workers or law-breaking by the disgruntled,” he posted on X.

Doge’s continued influence has created severe problems for federal agencies as well as for members of Congres, leaving the Senate minority leader, Chuck Schumer, on Monday to tag it as an “unelected shadow government” seeking control of federal agencies, the Guardian reported.
President Trump, who started his second presidency on January 20, however, has supported Musk’s move while addressing a pool of reporters he “can’t do and won’t do anything without our approval.”
The White House official noted that Musk worked as a special government employee without receiving any salary.
“He’s got access only to letting people go that he thinks are no good if we agree with him,” Trump added. “And it’s only if we agree with him.”
The legal challenge to this matter remains uncommented by both the treasury department and Musk’s team.