TRENTON, N.J. – A coalition of 14 state attorneys general announced plans to sue the U.S. Department of the Treasury over its decision to grant Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) access to Americans’ sensitive financial data.
The lawsuit comes after Musk, Trump, and DOGE made massive funding cuts to US AID.
New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin, alongside attorneys general from 13 other states, issued a joint statement on Wednesday condemning what they called an “unlawful, unprecedented, and unacceptable” breach of privacy. The controversy centers on DOGE staffers being granted access to federal payment systems that contain personally identifiable information, state bank account data, and financial transactions linked to government programs.
“The President does not have the power to give away our private information to anyone he chooses, and he cannot cut federal payments approved by Congress,” the coalition’s statement read. Officials accused DOGE of seeking access to the data in order to block federal payments for health care, childcare, and other essential programs.
Elon Musk, who was tapped by the administration to lead DOGE with a focus on eliminating government waste, has not publicly commented on the allegations. However, critics argue that granting private individuals access to government payment systems represents a major violation of privacy and legal precedent.
“In defense of our Constitution, our right to privacy, and the essential funding that individuals and communities nationwide are counting on, we will be filing a lawsuit to stop this injustice,” the attorneys general stated.
The lawsuit, expected to be filed in the coming days, could set up a high-stakes legal battle over the limits of executive authority and the protection of Americans’ financial data.
