Trump defends Musk’s government efficiency office amid legal block

US President Donald Trump reiterated his support for Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), despite growing legal challenges and concerns over its operations.

Trump’s comments came after a lawsuit filed by Democratic attorneys general from 19 US states late Friday, who raised questions about the office’s authority and potential security risks.

In a statement, Trump defended DOGE, emphasizing its mission to address government inefficiency and waste.

The legal challenges intensified on February 8, when US District Judge Paul Engelmayer issued a temporary restraining order, blocking DOGE’s access to US Treasury systems.

The judge cited legal concerns over the office’s authority and its potential security risks. The order will remain in effect until a February 14 hearing, where a decision will be made regarding DOGE’s future access.

After taking office, Trump established DOGE within the US Digital Service, appointing Musk as a “special government employee” to lead the office. Concerns have been raised about Musk’s security clearance and potential conflicts of interest, given his connections to government contractors.

Despite these concerns, reports indicate that DOGE gained access to the federal payment system, a network that processes trillions of dollars in federal funds and contains sensitive personal data of millions of Americans. Critics argue that DOGE lacks the legal authority to oversee government spending and could jeopardize national security as reported by Reuters. 

The Democratic attorneys general filed a lawsuit to block DOGE’s access, citing concerns over potential fraud and the disruption of critical programs like healthcare and education.

In response to the ruling, Musk took to social media, calling the court’s decision “absolutely insane” and defending DOGE’s mission. He stressed that the office was focused on transparency measures, such as requiring justifications for outgoing payments and maintaining a “do-not-pay” list for flagged entities.

To be clear, what the @DOGE team and @USTreasury have jointly agreed makes sense is the following:

- Require that all outgoing government payments have a payment categorization code, which is necessary in order to pass financial audits. This is frequently left blank, making…

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 8, 2025

Despite the legal setback, Trump expressed unwavering confidence in Musk’s leadership. He announced that Musk would now lead an audit of the Pentagon, aimed at uncovering waste within the Department of Defense.

However, this move has raised concerns among watchdog groups, who warn that Musk’s lack of experience in government oversight and his business interests could lead to potential ethical and security breaches.

The ongoing legal battle over DOGE’s authority has ignited a broader debate about executive power and government reform, with critics arguing that Trump’s push to install Musk in such a significant oversight role could undermine government accountability.

A critical hearing is set for February 14, where the court will decide the future of DOGE.