Mar. 19, 2025, 7:37 pm ET
In an ongoing saga that has sparked nationwide controversy, Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) have gained access to the Treasury Department’s payment system, including sensitive veterans’ data. This development has raised significant concerns over privacy and cybersecurity, further intensified by recent layoffs and budget cuts at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Musk’s access to the Treasury system, granted on February 4, 2025, has been a focal point of criticism. Alan Butler from the Electronic Privacy Information Center warned, “That is still a massive invasion of privacy… and still imposes significant ongoing risks… All of this just exponentially increases the odds that this data gets breached.” The White House has tried to downplay these fears, asserting that Musk’s team has only “read-only” access. However, the assurance has done little to appease critics.
VoteVets, a veterans advocacy group, launched a new ad campaign on March 18, 2025, targeting vulnerable House Republicans. The campaign highlights the negative impacts of DOGE’s actions on veterans, accusing lawmakers of allowing “unaccountable billionaires” to interfere with veterans’ benefits. The targeted Republicans include John James, Don Bacon, Scott Perry, Zach Nunn, and Jen Kiggans.
| All.filter | Flag 1 | Flag 2 | Flag 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| All.filter | |||
| Hospital and Clinic Readmissions |
The layoffs and budget cuts at the VA have been particularly brutal, with approximately 2,400 employees fired in recent weeks, including 1,400 in a single day. This is part of a broader effort to eliminate 83,000 positions, or about 17% of the VA workforce. The cuts have left VA employees and veterans in a state of uncertainty and stress.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) has been vocal in his criticism, stating, “Veterans risked their lives to defend this country, and they deserve more than to have unaccountable billionaires playing with the benefits they earned and rely on.” VA employees have echoed these sentiments, describing a climate of fear and anxiety as they manage the emotional fallout among their staff.
A VA social worker shared, “So many people have no clue how this is impacting us… I fear people will begin to resign and then our veterans are the ones who will suffer.” A VA nurse added, “The idea that a billionaire oligarch can decide over social media that employees must submit to vague, coercive demands — or lose their jobs — is both disturbing and unacceptable.”
Legal challenges have also emerged, with federal employee unions and an advocacy group suing the Treasury Department over Musk’s access to the payment system. They cite violations of federal privacy laws and the lack of oversight and accountability within DOGE.
For now, the focus remains on the potential impacts of these actions on veterans’ health care. Concerns persist that the layoffs and budget cuts could lead to delayed clinic openings, halted service lines, and longer wait times, further straining an already fragile system.
