Elon Musk vows to cancel grants after gaining access to US Treasury payment system
www.ft.com
System disburses trillions of dollars in US government spending each year, including social security

Summary

Elon Musk vowed to cancel government grants after allegedly gaining access to the US Treasury’s payments system, triggering the abrupt resignation of a senior official.

Musk, who leads Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), claimed his team found Treasury officials approving payments without scrutiny.

Democrats, including Sen. Ron Wyden, raised alarms over Musk’s influence on federal funds. Treasury access concerns intensified after Trump ally Michael Flynn posted grant payments online.

Musk’s authority to halt payments remains unclear, and the Treasury has not responded to inquiries.

  • MataVatnik@lemmy.world
    474·
    15 hours ago

    He wasn’t “given it”. He stole it and nobody with the power to stop him is trying to stop him.

      • qantravon@lemmy.worldEnglish
        291·
        13 hours ago

        Except the president doesn’t have that authority. Congress could push back, but it’s currently populated by sycophants.

        • Eagle0110@lemmy.worldEnglish
          5·
          9 hours ago

          And a lot of people’s reactions to Trump/Elon getting power were also remarkably similar to a lot of people’s reactions to Hitler getting power back then, especially people who were already in positions of power

        • SpongyAneurism
          2·
          8 hours ago

          Only on a very superficial level. Very different situation under a very different constitution.

          ‘Both got appointed by the president’ is comparing apples and oranges. That is in no way meant as a defense for Musk, but the argument is very weak and I’d prefer if we criticized him from a more solid basis.

          • rumba@lemmy.zipEnglish
            1·
            27 minutes ago

            I’d prefer if we criticized him from a more solid basis.

            The other side wouldn’t care to pick nits. Personally, I’d say just allow it and perhaps try to come up with better, juicier stuff.

          • jj4211@lemmy.world
            3·
            4 hours ago

            While the nuance is appreciated, I think it’s a trajectory worth considering.

            When Trump is no longer able to even pretend to lead, in his circle there are not any obvious successors that seem likely to have the same capacity to steamroll the GOP into whatever the hell they like while also being a legal candidate for president. However if he uses his transient status to overly enable Musk to lead in ways he is legally forbidden to do so, then it elevates the risk of Musk as the heir apparent to the Trump problem.