Trump Officials Push to Overturn DOGE Access Restraining Order in Treasury Payment Battle

The Trump administration has filed a motion to dismiss a temporary restraining order that prevents the Department of Government Efficiency, led by billionaire Elon Musk, from accessing sensitive personal data within the Treasury Department’s payment system. The motion was submitted just before midnight on Sunday and argues that the restraining order, imposed late Friday, is excessively broad in its restrictions on political appointees and non-Treasury federal employees.

This injunction was triggered by a constitutional challenge from attorneys general in Democratic states regarding the access Musk’s team of engineers has to critical Treasury data, which oversees trillions of dollars in federal spending. The administration’s petition insists that the order hinders Treasury’s leadership from effectively managing the department, claiming it represents “extraordinary and unprecedented judicial interference.”

Furthermore, the administration contends that the order creates an improper distinction between “civil servants” and “political appointees.” Musk appointed Tom Krause, a former Silicon Valley software executive, as the new financial assistant secretary at Treasury. Krause’s position involves less rigorous oversight on ethics and financial disclosures compared to regular federal employees.

Following this transition, acting deputy secretary David Lebryk resigned after over three decades of service, a move reportedly linked to Krause’s request for access to sensitive data. The DOGE group, associated with Musk, has allegedly accessed various critical systems, including those affecting Social Security and Medicare benefits.

In addition to Krause, only one other Treasury employee, Marko Elez, had previous access to certain data systems. Elez resigned earlier this year after controversial online posts came to light. The Trump administration argues that Democratic states have not sufficiently demonstrated how they would suffer irreparable harm if the injunction remains in place.

The ongoing legal battle reflects larger tensions surrounding Musk’s efforts to reduce federal spending and eliminate perceived inefficiencies within government agencies. Democratic lawmakers have expressed concerns that Musk’s initiatives lack transparency and could potentially lead to unfair withholding of payments for political gains.

Since Trump took office, Musk has sought to implement sweeping changes across various government departments, raising alarm among critics. During a recent press conference, Trump characterized judicial orders blocking DOGE’s access as “a disgrace.”

Vice President JD Vance echoed these sentiments, arguing against the legitimacy of judicial limits on executive powers. Musk, who previously invested heavily in Trump’s presidential campaign, criticized the involvement of Judge Paul Engelmayer, calling for his impeachment.

The Trump administration is seeking to suspend the restraining order pending an appeal, with a hearing set for Friday in Manhattan federal court to further address the issue of access to Treasury’s sensitive information.