A US judge clarified on Tuesday that an order restricting Elon Musk’s cost-cutting initiative from accessing the Treasury Department’s payment systems does not apply to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
The initial ruling, issued by US District Judge Paul Engelmayer on Saturday, temporarily blocked Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) from using government systems that process trillions in payments. The decision was a victory for a coalition of 19 Democratic attorneys general who argued that DOGE’s access posed cybersecurity risks and could disrupt critical federal programs.
Following the ruling, Trump allies including Musk and Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller voiced outrage, claiming it prevented Bessent, who was confirmed by the Senate on January 28, from accessing the system. In response, the Justice Department requested a revision of the order to clarify its scope.
On Tuesday, US District Judge Jeannette Vargas, who is handling the case moving forward, upheld Engelmayer’s restraining order but specified that it does not apply to Bessent, other Senate-confirmed Treasury officials, or pre-existing contractors performing system maintenance before Trump’s inauguration.
The White House defended its position, with Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stating, “The White House will continue to fight these battles in court, and we expect to be vindicated.”
Musk strongly criticized Engelmayer’s ruling, calling it “absolutely insane!” on his platform X. He maintained that DOGE and the Treasury Department had agreed to add categorization codes and justifications for all outgoing government payments.
Judge Vargas is set to hear arguments on Friday regarding whether the restrictions on DOGE’s access should be extended.
