US Treasury Denied DOGE Technologist Had ‘Write Access’—But He Did

Reports indicate that a technologist linked to Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) had administrative access to key federal payment systems, contradicting claims by US Treasury and White House officials. According to sources, the Treasury rescinded this access only after publicly denying its existence.

Marko Elez, a 25-year-old DOGE technologist and former employee of Musk’s SpaceX and X, was granted “read and write” privileges to critical Treasury systems, including the Payment Automation Manager (PAM) and Secure Payment System (SPS). These systems collectively manage trillions of dollars in federal spending, including Social Security, tax refunds, and veterans’ payments. Despite Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt asserting that DOGE’s access was limited to “read-only,” internal records and testimony revealed otherwise.

Concerns escalated after Elez reportedly made significant changes to the Treasury’s codebase. These revelations coincided with the administrative leave and subsequent resignation of David Lebryk, a senior Treasury official who opposed granting DOGE access to these systems.

On February 4, Treasury officials confirmed that Elez’s privileges were downgraded to “read-only,” following mounting pressure and a federal lawsuit alleging unlawful access to sensitive systems. Despite this, critics argue that Elez’s access, even in a read-only capacity, posed undue risks to federal financial security.

Senator Ron Wyden condemned the situation, calling for accountability and intensified investigations into DOGE’s activities. “This isn’t over,” Wyden vowed, emphasizing the gravity of unauthorized access to systems managing nearly $5 trillion annually.

The Treasury Department, White House, and Musk have yet to respond to these allegations. Meanwhile, Elez resigned following media scrutiny into his ties with controversial online accounts.