Elon Musk’s Fake Government Job: Why It’s a Huge Problem and What WE CAN DO
A made-up department, full access to federal data, and zero oversight: here’s what you need to know.
Latinos are heavy social media users; we adopt platforms like TikTok and Instagram at higher rates than other groups. And we’re using these spaces not just to connect but to stay informed. That’s why I create videos that break down major political stories in a way that’s clear, accessible, and easy to share.
Because let’s be real: if we’re not the ones explaining these issues, someone else will, and they might not have our best interests in mind.
This past weekend, something huge happened that barely made a dent in the mainstream media.
But thankfully, two of my favorite Substack publications were on top of it.
Heather Cox Richardson’s Letters from an American
and
Judd Legum’s Popular Info.
If you get a lot of your news from Substack, you might have seen pieces about it.
Still, since I want to reach many people on other social media platforms who consume more video content, I made two videos breaking it down.
Here’s what you need to know.
Elon Musk’s Government Takeover—Yes, Really
Elon Musk, a private billionaire, not an elected official, has gained access to some of the most sensitive government databases. And it’s all thanks to something called the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
Sounds fake? That’s because it is.
DOGE is not a real government department. It’s something he and Trump made up to give Musk power without oversight. And now, Musk’s handpicked team, many of whom are barely out of college, have been granted admin-level access to critical government systems, including:
🔹 Federal employee records: Social Security numbers, salaries, home addresses, disciplinary history
🔹 Job applications from private citizens who never even got hired
🔹 The U.S. Treasury’s payment system, which handles $6 trillion annually
And almost immediately, Musk announced he was canceling hundreds of millions of dollars in federal grants, without approval from Congress.
🚨 This is not normal.
He’s not an elected official. He wasn’t confirmed by Congress. But because DOGE isn’t a real department, Musk is technically not a full-time government employee, meaning Congress has limited power to stop him.
Former officials are warning that this creates a massive security risk. China and Russia try to hack these databases every day, and now a billionaire’s personal team has full access without oversight.
Why This Matters
This is about power with no accountability.
Musk has been open about his goals: cutting government services, eliminating entire agencies, and consolidating power under Trump. Now, he has direct control over federal data and money to start making those cuts himself.
So what do we do? We make noise.
📢 Watch the videos I made on this (they’re below)
📢 Share this post or the videos & talk about it. Remember, a lot of people are feeling overwhelmed by the news and tuning everything out. So they have no idea that this has been going on.
📢 Call your representatives and demand accountability. Also, Elizabeth Booker’s Substack has a post about how we can hit Elon Musk with a Privacy Act Violation.
Then, once you’re done sending that email, she has additional advice:
Pressure your State Attorney General and Governors (especially in blue states) to enforce criminal penalties against Elon under state law where possible. The president can't pardon state charges; the Department of Justice Attorney General can't interfere in them either.
The more people understand what’s happening, the harder it is for them to get away with it.
https://popular.info/p/musk-associates-given-unfettered
https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/february-2-2025
https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/february-3-2025