Judge blocks Elon Musk's team from accessing federal payment systems
A federal judge on Saturday temporarily blocked a Trump administration team led by tech billionaire Elon Musk from accessing government payment processing systems in response to a challenge from the attorneys general in 19 states.
The states, led by New York Attorney General Letitia James, argue Musk and other members of the Department of Government Efficiency are not authorized to access the Treasury Department's central payment system and could jeopardize the security of confidential information. They also argue Musk's team could block federal funds to states for health clinics, preschools, climate initiatives, and other programs.
U.S. District Judge Paul Engelmayer, who was appointed to the bench by President Barack Obama, said the states had made a sufficient case at this stage of both potential harm and that their legal arguments have merit.
Engelmayer ordered the Trump administration to appear in Manhattan federal court on Friday to argue why the temporary restraining order should not be extended as the states pursue their suit.
The judge's order was the latest in a string of recent court pauses on the flurry of Trump's efforts to remake and downsize the federal government.
Trump made Musk a "special government employee" to lead much of the efforts but James said Trump "does not have the power to give away Americans’ private information to anyone he chooses."
She said the government's central payment system contains sensitive personal information, including bank account details and Social Security numbers, and controls benefit payments and other funding that millions of Americans depend on.
“As the richest man in the world, Elon Musk is not used to being told ‘no,’ but in our country, no one is above the law,” James said in a statement.
In response to a separate lawsuit by labor unions, the Treasury Department agreed earlier this week not to give DOGE access to its payment systems while a judge considers allegations that Musk illegally searched them.
White House officials have expressed confidence that they will defeat all the challenges being brought against the administration.
“Every action taken by the Trump-Vance administration is fully legal and compliant with federal law," Harrison Fields, principal deputy White House press secretary, said in a statement to USA TODAY.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Judge blocks DOGE team from accessing federal payment systems