Federal Court Sides With DOGE on Treasury Data

A federal judge has cleared Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency to access Treasury Department systems, but a separate ruling still blocks DOGE from the data it needs to cut government waste.

Quick Takes

Washington D.C. Federal Judge Kollar-Kotelly ruled in favor of DOGE accessing Treasury Department data systems
Despite this win, DOGE staff still cannot access Treasury systems due to a separate injunction from a New York judge
Judge found no evidence that DOGE planned to misuse or improperly disclose sensitive financial information
Multiple lawsuits across various federal departments have challenged DOGE’s access to government systems
DOGE claims to have identified $105 billion in potential government savings through various reforms

Federal Judge Dismisses Claims of DOGE Misusing Data

In a significant legal victory for President Trump’s efficiency initiative, U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly has refused to block the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) from accessing Treasury Department data systems. The ruling dismissed a lawsuit brought by advocacy groups and unions that sought to restrict DOGE from accessing sensitive financial information. Judge Kollar-Kotelly acknowledged the concerns but determined that plaintiffs failed to demonstrate that immediate harm would result from DOGE’s access to Treasury systems.

“If Plaintiffs could show that Defendants imminently planned to make their private information public or to share that information with individuals outside the federal government with no obligation to maintain its confidentiality, the Court would not hesitate to find a likelihood of irreparable harm,” wrote U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly. “But on the present record, Plaintiffs have not shown that Defendants have such a plan.”

The lawsuit initially expressed fears that DOGE might make private information public or share it with unauthorized third parties. However, the judge found these concerns to be speculative rather than imminent threats. She noted that the court would reconsider if evidence emerged showing actual plans to misuse data. This ruling effectively lifts previous access restrictions that Judge Kollar-Kotelly had placed on DOGE’s Treasury team.

DOGE Still Blocked by New York Court Order

Despite this favorable ruling in Washington, DOGE’s access to Treasury systems remains blocked due to a separate legal challenge. A federal judge in Manhattan, Jeannette Vargas, has barred DOGE from accessing Treasury Department systems following a lawsuit filed by 19 Democratic state attorneys general. Judge Vargas’s order cites concerns over insufficient vetting and security clearances for DOGE personnel, creating a significant roadblock for the efficiency department’s work.

“Indeed, taking the time to adequately mitigate potential security concerns and properly onboard members to engage in this work outweighs the defendants’ immediate need to access and redevelop [the] Treasury system,” stated U.S. District Judge Jeannette Vargas. “Without addressing these issues, the potential consequences of a cybersecurity breach could be catastrophic.”

DOGE’s Broader Legal Battles Across Federal Agencies

The Treasury Department is not the only battleground for DOGE. Courts have blocked DOGE from accessing systems at the Department of Education, Office of Personnel Management, and Department of Labor. Additionally, challenges to DOGE’s access to IRS data continue to work through the court system. Previously, DOGE’s Treasury work had been restricted to just two employees with read-only access, one of whom resigned following controversy over social media posts.

“Merely asserting that the Treasury DOGE Team’s operations increase the risk of a catastrophic data breach or public disclosure of sensitive information … is not sufficient to support a preliminary injunction,” wrote Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly.

The Trump administration continues to defend DOGE’s mission to eliminate wasteful spending and streamline government operations. In the meantime, DOGE officials claim they have already identified $105 billion in potential savings through various reform efforts. For now, the mixed court rulings have created a patchwork of access for DOGE across different federal departments, limiting the scope of its efficiency initiatives while legal challenges continue.