The Musk government's efficiency department has been granted access to the US Treasury's payment system

The US Treasury has agreed to give Musk's Department of Government Effectiveness (DOGE) access to a payments system that distributes trillions of dollars in benefits, grants and tax refunds to Americans each year, often administered by career civil servants, sources said, according to Kim Ten, citing the Wall Street Journal. Treasury Secretary Vincent approved the move. Any disruption to the operation of the Treasury's payments system, one of the main fiscal arteries of the US government, could lead to far-reaching economic disruption. The involvement of political appointees in the management of the payment network is unusual because the network includes a strict protocol to ensure the security and privacy of payment operations, former Treasury officials said. It is not yet possible to determine how DOGE representatives intend to use their access to the payment system. DOGE representatives would not have direct authority to stop individual payments or make other changes, and their access would be "read-only," the source said. Bessant approved the arrangement on the condition that the activities of DOGE representatives be documented and subject to oversight. DOGE representatives intend to review the overall efficiency of the payment system, the person said.