--- title: "Elon Musk Says DOGE Will Now Shut Down Government Payments He Doesn’t Like" description: "Elon Musk has gained access to the government's payment system and has declared his intent to shut down any flow of cash he doesn't like." date: "2025-02-03" modified: "2025-02-03" authors: - name: "Frank Landymore" job_title: "Contributing Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/flandymore" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/elon-musk-shut-down-government-payments" categories: - "Elon Musk" - "Future Society" - "The Industrialists" tags: - "doge" - "elon musk" - "the digest" - "trump" --- # Elon Musk Says DOGE Will Now Shut Down Government Payments He Doesn’t Like ![Elon Musk has gained access to the government's payment system and has declared his intent to shut down any flow of cash he doesn't like.]() *\Image: Chip Somdevilla / Pool / AFP via Getty / Futurism\* ## Caveat Emperor After [forcing out a top official]() at the US Treasury Department, it now appears that Elon Musk has seized control of the government's payment system — with apparent free rein to do what he wants. Over the weekend, Musk declared that he and his lackeys at DOGE — the so-called Department of Government Efficiency, which is [not a department]() despite its name — would cut off government payments to specific organizations Musk doesn't like. Chief among those targets is USAID, an independent government agency that provides foreign aid. In a flurry of social media posts, Musk [denounced USAID]() as a "criminal organization," and a "viper's nest of radical-left marxists who hate America." So it had to go. DOGE staffers have now accessed USAID's security systems and other classified files, [*CNN* reported](), after top officials who refused DOGE's demands were placed on leave. "We spent the weekend feeding USAID into the wood chipper," Musk [tweeted]() Monday morning. ## X Marks the Spot Musk began his quest of ruthless cost-cutting by [shaking up the Treasury Department]() last week. His lieutenants at DOGE hounded a top Treasury official for access to its sensitive payment system, which distributes trillions of dollars every year, including Social Security benefits and federal salaries. The system has traditionally only been accessed by a select few senior officials. After refusing DOGE's demands for months, that official, David Lebryk, abruptly announced his retirement. (The [*New York Times* ]()[reported]() that Lebryk was placed on leave after refusing, almost certainly precipitating his decision to end his decades-long career at the agency.) Following the standoff, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent acceded to DOGE's demands and granted it access to the federal payment system. Musk immediately fired off blockbuster claims — without evidence — to show that his fake department was making progress. "The DOGE team discovered, among other things, that payment approval officers at Treasury were instructed always to approve payments, even to known fraudulent or terrorist groups," Musk [tweeted](). "They literally never denied a payment in their entire career. Not even once." ## Eye of a Needle According [to the *NYT*](), no government payments have actually been blocked yet, because Musk doesn't possess the operational capabilities to do so. Though we emphasize: not *yet*. The Treasury payment system was one considered off-limits, too. In any case, Musk has vociferously signaled his intent to turn off the money hose beyond just the USAID. As [*Bloomberg* reports](), the world's richest man declared that DOGE would cut off grants to Lutheran Family Services, a Christian non-profit that provides social services and relief to refugees. "The DOGE team is rapidly shutting down these illegal payments," [tweeted]() Musk, who not too long ago [openly embraced the teachings of Christ](). **More on Trump administration:** *[Trump Broke the Federal Email System and Government Employees Got Blasted With Astonishingly Vulgar Messages]()* ## Author At Futurism, my work has often centered on bringing a sense of clarity and insight to complex topics ranging from the regulation of emerging technologies to the esoteric ideologies of Silicon Valley executives, while striving not to lose the poetic sense of awe inspired by often-obscure fields like astrophysics and quantum computing. I broke the story of CNET using AI to produce articles that turned out to be riddled with factual errors and plagiarism — a dam-breaking inflection point, as I've reported, that's inspired copycats and endless discourse while beguiling stakeholders ranging from tech giants to purveyors of spam around the web. My work at Futurism has been cited by publications including CBS News, the Los Angeles Times, Vice, Gizmodo, Engadget, the Verge, and Vanity Fair. I grew up in locales ranging from India to China, and now live in the exotic suburbs of Virginia. In my free time, I'm an avid reader of weird sci-fi literature, an aficionado of East Asian cinema, and, regrettably, a relapsed gamer. Allegedly, I’m working on a debut novel, currently untitled. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()