Musk takes control of US Treasury payments systems

AFP | Washington

Email : editor@newsofbahrain.com

Elon Musk’s aides have taken control of the US Treasury Department ’s payments system -- which manages trillions of dollars of transactions each year -- sparking alarm among critics.

Musk, the world’s richest person, is leading President Donald Trump’s federal cost-cutting efforts under the so-called “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE).

“The corruption and waste is being rooted out in real-time,” Musk posted Sunday on X, the platform he owns. Later, replying to a post outlining alleged payments to Lutheran charities, Musk said DOGE was “rapidly shutting down these illegal payments.”

The Treasury ’s closely guarded payments system handles the money flow of the US government, including $6 trillion annually for Social Security, Medicare, federal salaries, and other critical payments.