Senator Wyden Demands Answers Over Musk-Linked Treasury Access Attempts

WASHINGTON, D.C. (KATU) — U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., has demanded an explanation from Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent following reports that individuals linked to Elon Musk attempted to access a highly sensitive Treasury Department payment system. The system, managed by non-political staff, processes trillions of dollars annually, including Social Security, Medicare benefits, and payments to government contractors.

“To put it bluntly, these payment systems simply cannot fail, and any politically-motivated meddling in them risks severe damage to our country and the economy,” Wyden wrote in a letter to Bessent. The senator expressed concern that the attempts may have been aimed at illegally withholding payments to government programs, following a recent federal grant and loan freeze.

Wyden also raised alarms about Musk’s business ties to China, citing potential cybersecurity risks and conflicts of interest. “The press has previously reported that Musk was denied a high-level clearance to access the government’s most sensitive secrets,” Wyden noted. “I am concerned that Musk’s enormous business operation in China…endangers U.S. cybersecurity and creates conflicts of interest that make his access to these systems a national security risk.”

In his letter, Wyden posed several questions to the Treasury Department, including whether officials linked to Musk or DOGE had requested or been granted access to the Bureau of the Fiscal Service’s payment systems. He also inquired about the legal authority and purpose behind any such access, as well as the vetting processes in place to address potential conflicts of interest.

The Treasury Department has yet to respond to Wyden’s inquiries. The situation underscores growing concerns about the intersection of private business interests and government operations, particularly in the context of national security and economic stability.