Federal Court Blocks Elon Musk and DOGE After Lawsuit Alleging Unauthorized Access to Americans’ Private Data

A federal court has granted a motion, sought by Delaware Attorney General Kathy Jennings and others, for a preliminary injunction blocking Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) from accessing Americans’ private data. On February 7th, Attorney General Jennings joined a coalition of 18 other attorneys general in filing a lawsuit against the Trump administration, challenging what they allege is the unauthorized access to Americans’ private information. The lawsuit claims that the Trump administration improperly provided Elon Musk and DOGE access to the Treasury Department’s central payment system, which includes sensitive information such as Social Security numbers and bank account details. On Friday, Judge Jeannette Vargas of the Southern District of New York granted the coalition’s motion for a preliminary injunction, temporarily barring the government from allowing certain individuals, including Elon Musk and DOGE, from accessing the Treasury’s central payment system while the case proceeds. Attorney General Jennings is joined in this lawsuit by attorneys general from multiple states, including Maryland and New Jersey.