Elon Musk Aides Take Control of Federal HR Agency, Restrict Access to Sensitive Employee Data (Update)
Elon Musk’s team has taken over the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, restricting access to federal employee data and raising cybersecurity concerns. Learn more.
Musk’s Allies Take Charge of Federal HR Agency, Raising Cybersecurity Concerns
Aides associated with billionaire Elon Musk have assumed control of the U.S. government’s human resources agency, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), and have reportedly locked career civil servants out of key data systems containing sensitive employee records. According to agency insiders, this move has sparked concerns about transparency, cybersecurity risks, and oversight as the Trump administration undertakes a significant overhaul of the federal workforce.
A Swift and Sweeping Overhaul
Since taking office just days ago, President Donald Trump has embarked on a broad restructuring of government operations, aggressively replacing long-standing civil servants with political loyalists. Musk, the CEO of Tesla and X, has been tasked with streamlining the federal workforce, which consists of approximately 2.2 million civilian employees. His team has wasted no time in implementing drastic changes at OPM, the agency responsible for overseeing federal employment policies and personnel records.
Two senior officials within OPM, who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity due to fears of retaliation, revealed that some of the agency’s top career employees have had their access to vital computer systems revoked. The affected systems include the Enterprise Human Resources Integration (EHRI) database, a massive repository of federal employee records, including Social Security numbers, pay grades, job performance appraisals, and personal addresses.
One official described the situation as alarming, emphasizing the absence of oversight and the potential risks posed by the restriction. “We have no visibility into what they are doing with the computer and data systems,” the official stated. “That is creating great concern. There is no oversight. It creates real cybersecurity and hacking implications.”
While the affected officials can still access email and perform some tasks, they are now unable to retrieve critical workforce data, raising alarms about the intentions behind these restrictions and their potential impact on government operations.
Memos Encourage Federal Employees to Resign
Alongside the digital lockdown, OPM has reportedly sent out unconventional memos encouraging government employees to consider voluntary buyouts. These memos, written in an uncharacteristically casual tone, urge federal workers to leave their positions with financial incentives, even suggesting they use the opportunity to take a vacation to a “dream destination.”
Don Moynihan, a professor at the Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan, warned that these actions suggest a significant power shift within the agency. “This makes it much harder for anyone outside Musk’s inner circle at OPM to know what’s going on,” he said, raising concerns about potential congressional oversight issues.
Inside the Musk-Led Transition
The restructuring efforts at OPM are being led by a group of Musk’s current and former employees, who assumed control of the agency on January 20, the day Trump was inaugurated. In a striking move, members of Musk’s team have reportedly brought sofa beds into OPM’s headquarters, located on the fifth floor of the building, to facilitate around-the-clock work.
One OPM employee described the atmosphere as feeling like a “hostile takeover,” mirroring Musk’s leadership style at X (formerly Twitter), where he previously installed sleeping quarters for employees following his acquisition of the platform in 2022.
Among the key figures leading the charge at OPM is Brian Bjelde, a long-time Musk associate who formerly served as a vice president of human resources at SpaceX. Bjelde is now a senior adviser at OPM, alongside Amanda Scales, another former Musk employee who has taken on the role of chief of staff. The acting head of OPM, Charles Ezell, has also issued multiple directives since assuming leadership, including an announcement offering federal employees eight months of pay to resign.
According to an OPM insider, even senior agency officials were blindsided by these memos. “No one here knew that the memos were coming out. We are finding out about these memos at the same time as the rest of the world,” the official disclosed.
Broader Influence in Government
The upheaval at OPM is not an isolated event. Reports indicate that Musk’s influence is also reshaping operations at the U.S. Treasury Department. A recent clash between career Treasury official David Lebryk and Musk’s allies reportedly led to Lebryk’s departure after Musk’s team requested access to the government’s payment systems. The Washington Post first reported the incident, signaling broader concerns about Musk’s expanding role in federal administration.
In addition to Bjelde and Scales, another Musk ally, Riccardo Biasini—a former engineer at Tesla and director at The Boring Company—is now a senior adviser at OPM. Their presence within the agency raises pressing questions about the long-term implications of Musk’s involvement in federal workforce management.
Concerns Over Transparency and Accountability
Critics argue that the lack of transparency surrounding these changes could pose a major governance challenge. The federal workforce plays a crucial role in ensuring the stability of government functions, and sudden shifts in leadership and data access policies could create disruptions. Moreover, cybersecurity experts have voiced concerns about the restricted access to sensitive personnel databases, emphasizing the potential risks of unauthorized data modifications or breaches.
Neither Musk nor his representatives at OPM have provided comments on the situation, and the White House has yet to address the growing concerns surrounding the agency’s abrupt restructuring.
Looking Ahead
As the Trump administration continues its efforts to reshape the federal workforce, questions remain about the future of OPM and the broader impact of Musk’s involvement in government personnel management. Will these changes lead to greater efficiency and modernization, or do they signal a deeper erosion of oversight and accountability?
For now, federal employees remain uncertain about their future, while watchdog organizations and policymakers monitor the situation closely. As the dust settles, the broader implications of Musk’s government takeover could redefine the balance between political leadership and the independent civil service.
Source: (Reuters)
(Disclaimer: This article is based on publicly available information and media reports. Developments in government policies and leadership may change over time. Readers are encouraged to refer to official sources for the latest updates.)
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