What Happened:

On February 1, 2025, following the abrupt resignation of a key Treasury official, the DOGE team gained full (read-write) access to the Bureau of the Fiscal Service’s payment system.

Key Details:

• This access gave DOGE the ability to monitor and potentially intervene in the disbursement of roughly $6 trillion in federal payments, including Social Security benefits and contractor funds.

• Critics immediately raised alarms over the sensitive nature of the data now available to DOGE, citing potential risks to personal privacy and national security.

• Lawmakers, including Senator Ron Wyden, denounced the move as a dangerous overreach that could allow the administration to block payments or manipulate financial flows.

The acquisition of this access marked a pivotal moment, as it provided DOGE with a direct window into the nation’s fiscal operations.