‘The largest data breach in American history’: Attorney General Tong sues Musk, Trump over DOGE data overreach

Attorney General William Tong has announced that Connecticut is ing several other states in filing a lawsuit against Donald Trump’s istration and the overreach of his Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency. 

Tong is one of 19 Democratic attorneys general who have sued Trump in an effort to block Musk from accessing the systems of the Treasury Department that contain the sensitive data of millions of Americans, including social security and bank numbers. Speaking of the lawsuit — which is also against the Trump-nominated Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent — in a TikTok video, Tong said Musk’s access to the systems is “utterly unlawful” and “unconstitutional.” 

@agwilliamtong

Attorney General Tong Sues President Trump and Secretary of Treasury to Block DOGE Access to Confidential Records, Sensitive Data and Critical Payment Systems This is the largest data breach in American history. DOGE is an unlawfully constituted band of renegade tech bros combing through confidential records, sensitive data and critical payment systems. What could go wrong? They have been given access to re-write code and delete files, and have vowed to use this access to dismantle the federal programs and services. We have no idea what they are doing with this information, and whether the world’s richest man is using this information to further enrich himself and his companies. We are suing to protect the functioning of our government and the security of every single American’s private data. Musk calls his unlawful actions the Second American Revolution. It is more accurate to say this is a rebellion from within, and we will use every legal tool available to stop him. “This is the largest data breach in American history. DOGE is an unlawfully constituted band of renegade tech bros combing through confidential records, sensitive data and critical payment systems. What could go wrong? They have been given access to re-write code and delete files, and have vowed to use this access to dismantle the federal programs and services. We have no idea what they are doing with this information, and whether the world’s richest man is using this information to further enrich himself and his companies. We are suing to protect the functioning of our government and the security of every single American’s private data,” said Attorney General Tong. “Elon Musk calls his unlawful actions the Second American Revolution. It is more accurate to say this is a rebellion from within, and we will use every legal tool available to stop him.”

♬ original sound – agwilliamtong – agwilliamtong

“It represents the largest data breach in American history,” the attorney general added, before concluding that “we’re fighting back.” The lawsuit, filed in federal court in New York City, claims that the Trump istration violated federal law by allowing Musk and his access the Treasury’s payment system, which includes sensitive data and is responsible for disbursing trillions of dollars and government payments every year, from tax refunds to veterans’ benefits.  

In filing the lawsuit, Tong said his goal is to remove both Musk as the co-leader of DOGE, and remove the entire organization from government. To bolster his argument, Tong said Musk is an unelected official who hasn’t gone through the process of being confirmed by the Senate. The lawsuit also expresses concern about Musk’s elevation to the status of “special government employee”, which allows him to circumvent the conflict of interest clauses that apply to regular government workers.

If successful, the lawsuit will prohibit Musk from accessing the Treasury’s data, and require any copies of this data already transferred out of the system to be destroyed. 

Elon Musk has seized control of the government’s payment system.

He wants the power to decide if your grandpa gets his Social Security check or your mom’s doctor gets paid by Medicare.

I'm at the Treasury Department to speak out and push back. https://t.co/wzOimHqmqC

— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) February 4, 2025

Tong is ed in his efforts by New York Attorney General Letitia James, who spearheaded the multistate lawsuit filing, as well as the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Wisconsin. “As the richest man in the world, Elon Musk is not used to being told ‘no,’ but in our country, no one is above the law,” James said in a press statement. “President Trump does not have the power to give away Americans’ private information to anyone he chooses.” 

Tong, James and the other attorneys general aren’t the only ones fighting back against Musk’s increasing political overreach, which in recent weeks has seen the billionaire interfere with everything voiced public condemnations against the billionaire. 

A look inside the room where Attorney General William Tong announced he’d ed a lawsuit to stop the Trump ’s proposed federal funding pause.

And yes…pretty much everyone gathered around the podium took a turn speaking. pic.twitter.com/VDwkW6BR0W

— Mike Cerulli (@MikeCerulliCT) January 29, 2025

Along the way, legal experts have Nazi salute at Trump’s inauguration.

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