A federal judge on Friday ruled that the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) may access sensitive systems in the Department of Treasury after a weeks-long battle.
U.S. District Court Judge Jeannette Vargas said that one member of the DOGE team may access sensitive payment and data systems at Treasury as long as that member undergoes training. The member, Ryan Wunderly, would also need to submit a financial disclosure.
Vargas’ Friday ruling came nearly two months after she blocked DOGE from the systems amid a legal challenge from blue state attorneys general.
“The Court hereby modifies the PI Order to permit Defendants to grant Ryan Wunderly access to Treasury Department payment records, payment systems, and any other data systems maintained by the Treasury Department containing personally identifiable information and/or confidential financial information of payees, PROVIDED THAT (i) Wunderly first completes any hands-on training in such systems that is typically required of other Treasury employees granted commensurate access; and (ii) that Wunderly first submits his OGE 278 Financial Disclosure Report,” Vargas wrote.
In February, New York Attorney General Letitia James led a coalition of 18 other Democratic attorneys general in a lawsuit challenging DOGE’s access across the federal government. DOGE is spearheading President Donald Trump’s push to cut waste, fraud, and abuse from the government and better direct federal funds toward his agenda.
“Giving the world’s richest man unauthorized access to our nation’s central payment system, and our most sensitive personal information, puts all Americans – and the essential funds they depend on – at risk,” James said in February. “With this illegal power grab, Musk and DOGE are trying to wipe out vital programs and services – from health care to public safety to education – that our communities need.”
James’ lawsuit argued that only trained career civil servants should have access to the Treasury systems, closely guarded because of the amount of sensitive and personal information of Americans stored in them.
The Trump administration had argued at the time that only two DOGE team members had been granted access to the Treasury systems, and that they had each received some training.
The ruling comes as DOGE continues its reviews of payments and systems across the federal government. DOGE announced on Thursday that an initial review of unemployment claims found $382 million in suspect payments. Nearly 80% of those payments came from three deep-blue states: California, New York, and Massachusetts.
“California, New York, and Massachusetts accounted for most of these improper claims, totaling $305M in unemployment benefits,” said DOGE. “Additionally, California accounted for 68% of the unemployment benefits paid to parolees identified by CBP on the terrorist watchlist or with criminal records.”
