Officials told the AP that DOGE teams lacked the necessary security clearance to access sensitive information. Thus, two security officials – John Vorhees and deputy Brian McGill – denied them access as their legal obligation.

On Saturday, DOGE inspection teams eventually accessed USAID’s classified information, which reportedly includes intelligence reports.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent gave DOGE full access to the US treasury’s federal payment system late Friday. This enabled Musk and his efficiency team to lead a powerful tool to monitor and possibly limit government spending.

After his election victory, US President Donald Trump tasked the DOGE with identifying administration fraud and wasteful expenditure. The department also aims to fire federal workers, cut programs, and slash federal regulations.

The treasury’s payment system transactions amount to more than $2 trillion per year in payments on behalf of federal agencies and also contain the personal information of millions of Americans who receive Social Security payments, tax refunds, and other government payments.

US Senator Ron Wyden, a Democrat, in a letter to Bessent, criticised Musk’s control of the payment system as “politically motivated”. He alleged that the move risks severely damaging the country and the economy.

“Social Security and Medicare benefits, grants, payments to government contractors, including those competing directly with Musk’s companies. All of it,” Wyden said.

Musk has been staying at DOGE’s offices in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, steps away from the White House, as he seeks to assert greater control over the federal government functions.

The department has already made significant cuts, reportedly saving taxpayers around $1 billion per day by halting “unnecessary” hiring and cutting spending on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, which Musk has long criticized.