The interim U.S. attorney in Washington warned Monday his office would pursue charges against “anyone who impedes” the work of tech entrepreneur Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, which President Donald Trump has tasked with dismantling the federal bureaucracy.
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The Justice Department’s message was delivered shortly before the White House confirmed to USA TODAY that Musk, CEO of SpaceX and Tesla, had been made a “special government employee” amid his efforts to downsize and restructure the federal government.
Ed Martin, who was appointed by Trump last month as U.S. attorney of the District of Columbia, referenced DOGE staff who have been “targeted publicly,” in a Monday letter to Musk. Martin said, “Any threats, confrontations, or other actions that in any way impact their work may break numerous laws.” He did not specify which laws.
“Let me assure you of this: we will pursue any and all legal action against anyone who impedes on your work or threatens your people,” Martin said. “We will protect DOGE and other (federal) workers no matter what.”
Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency was created by an executive order on Trump’s first day in office that rebranded an existing agency known as The United States Digital Service into DOGE. The order said DOGE is to be provided “full and prompt access to all unclassified agency records, software systems, and IT systems.”
Musk and his aides have gained access to Treasury Department human resources computer systems which contain the personal data of millions of federal employees. Reuters reported career civil servants have been locked out of the systems.
It comes as the Trump administration oversees a buyout plan for federal employees in a push to cut the federal workforce drastically. With Musk’s guidance, Trump took steps Monday to shut down the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the federal agency that administers foreign aid, and to merge it with the State Department.
“He’s got access only to letting people go that he thinks are no good, if we agree with him, and it’s only if we agree with him,” Trump said when asked Monday about Trump’s access to Treasury payment systems.
“He’s a very talented guy on the standpoint of management and costs, and we put him in charge to see what he can do with certain groups and certain numbers,” Trump said. “Some of the numbers are horrible, what’s he’s found.”
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