Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency staffers are set to gain access to data at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, multiple sources tell WIRED.
In an email early Friday morning, CFPB staff were told that several people from DOGE—including Nikhil Rajpal and Gavin Kliger (along with Chris Young, who has been described as a Republican political adviser connected with Elon Musk)—entered the agency building Thursday evening. The email stated that they would require access to CFPB data, systems, and equipment, following a message sent Thursday by CFPB chief operating officer Adam Martinez confirming that the DOGE employees were to receive “read-only” access.
“DOGE arrived tonight and will be back tomorrow. They are going to need read-only access to our HR (HR Connect/NFC), procurement (PRISM), and finance (Discoverer) system,” said Martinez. “I let them know that we utilize BFS/ARC so if they already have access, then they should be able to pull our data. Otherwise, if they do not have access to BFS/ARC, then we will need to work with them to fill out the necessary forms to gain access.” BFS/ARC is the Bureau of the Fiscal Service’s Administrative Resource Center, which provides administrative services, like timekeeping travel days or benefits, for a number of government agencies.
The CFPB was authorized by the Dodd-Frank act in the aftermath of predatory and deceptive behaviors in the banking sector that led to the 2008 financial crisis. The independent agency has the directive to investigate and reform these financial institutions. The CFPB systems DOGE staffers will have access to contain information related to CFPB staff, like performance reviews, salary, and benefits information, a source tells WIRED.
DOGE staff has also sought to gain access to procurement and financial data at other agencies. Over the past week, WIRED has reported that Musk’s DOGE team has gained access to a variety of government systems and infrastructure, including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and a sensitive payment system housed within the Treasury Department.
“All three will receive CFPB laptops and they will also have PIV cards so they are authorized to gain access as though they were a detailee assigned to us or one of our own employees. Again, they are only looking for read-only access,” the CFPB email said. A PIV card is a government-issued personal identity verification.
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Read-only access only allows for people to view a system, whereas “write” access allows them to view and modify that system’s data. DOGE could use the information contained in the requested systems to inform decisions about reductions in the CFPB’s workforce and spending, sources tell WIRED.
Another source confirmed that the DOGE members now show up in the CFPB’s internal directory.
“The unelected Musk recently announced plans for a new payments platform run jointly by Visa and ‘X’ (formerly Twitter),” a press release issued by the CFPB’s union said Friday morning. “Now, he’s moved his power grab to the CFPB, in a clear attempt to attack union workers and defang the only agency that checks the greed of payment providers, as well as auto lenders like Tesla.”
“CFPB Union members welcome our newest colleagues and look forward to the smell of Axe Body Spray in our elevators,” the union press release continued.
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