In an effort to slash government spending, President Trump has asked the world’s richest man, Tesla CEO Elon Musk, to lead his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). In turn, Musk and his team have spent the first few weeks of Trump’s second term waging a largely unchecked war on the federal bureaucracy — an onslaught that was finally challenged Thursday when a dozen states announced they would sue to block DOGE's access to government payment systems containing Americans' personal data.

Since taking office for his second term, President Donald Trump has issued a number of orders which included establishing the Department of Government Efficiency, also known as DOGE. This program, led by Musk, has caused a stir by going through government programs to validate funding.

DOGE has gained access to government employees' sensitive information via the Office of Personnel Management, payment systems at the Treasury Department and Centers for Medicaid and Medicare this week.