Judge blocks Treasury data access, Musk demands impeachment
Listen To Story Above
Elon Musk expressed strong opposition to a recent ruling by an Obama-appointed federal judge who blocked President Donald Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency from accessing Treasury Department data and financial records.
The temporary restriction came through an order from U.S. District Judge Paul A. Engelmayer, which prohibited “all political appointees, special government employees, and government employees detailed from an agency outside the Treasury Department” from accessing Treasury payment systems and related information.
The ruling affects DOGE, a government streamlining initiative led by Trump appointee Musk, and will remain in effect until at least the scheduled Friday hearing.
Let me see if I have this right. The Treasury Secretary CANNOT access any data from the treasury? Wow. Who is afraid the secrets are coming out. This judge was not elected nor was he given the mandate by the people. Enough is enough. WE THE PEOPLE demand… https://t.co/5EZLe5MjHY
— Glenn Beck (@glennbeck) February 8, 2025
The legal challenge emerged when attorneys general from 19 states, including New York and California, filed a lawsuit on Friday against Trump, the Treasury Department, and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
Responding to the decision on X, Musk didn’t mince words: “A corrupt judge protecting corruption. He needs to be impeached NOW!”
In additional posts, Musk voiced his frustration: “This is an activist posing as a judge,” and “This ruling is absolutely insane! How on Earth are we supposed to stop fraud and waste of taxpayer money without looking at how money is spent? That’s literally impossible! Something super shady is going to protect scammers.”
The judge’s order also mandated that anyone who had accessed Treasury Department records since Trump’s January 20 inauguration must immediately destroy all downloaded materials.
New York Judge Paul Engelmayer just forbade all political appointees — including Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent — from accessing Dept. of Treasury data, all based on Blueanon conspiracy theories!!
Those theories couldn't be challenged because the order was EX PARTE — meaning…
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) February 8, 2025
The states’ lawsuit claimed the administration violated protocols by giving Treasury Department data access to DOGE staff, specifically noting that “at least one 25-year-old DOGE associate” received “virtually unfettered access” to Bureau of the Fiscal Service payment systems, including the ability to “view or modify numerous critical files.”
Notably, Musk, who leads Tesla, SpaceX, and X, serves in neither an official government position nor as a federal employee. DOGE itself operates without full departmental status, as such designation would require congressional approval.
Judge Engelmayer, who issued the controversial ruling, received his nomination to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York from President Barack Obama in 2011.
