In recent days, Elon Musk—the world’s richest man and administrator of the new so-called “Department of Government Efficiency”—along with his allies sought access to federal payment systems that manage distributions to Social Security beneficiaries, federal workers, and other recipients. During this unprecedented move, a 35-year civil servant was forced to resign. This marked the first time in the U.S. Treasury’s history that external figures attempted to access this payment system. Treasury officials raised concerns that the established payment process could be manipulated to pursue partisan priorities, block congressionally approved spending, or advance business interests.

“The wealthiest man in history and his Silicon Valley allies are showing a troubling interest in how our government pays its bills,” said David Kass, executive director of Americans for Tax Fairness. “After the American people pushed back against President Trump’s unconstitutional freeze of federal payments, he is now using Musk to enact his freeze and cuts through another method. Since neither he nor his supposed ‘department’ has any congressionally approved role in our government, we must take the President and his top donor at their word that they intend to override Congres.  Meanwhile, Trump and his Congressional GOP allies are advancing a budget resolution that would allow them to turbocharge transferring wealth from working Americans to benefit themselves. An administration dominated by the interests of billionaires cannot be trusted.”