WASHINGTON: A federal prosecutor appointed by President Donald Trump said on Monday the FBI was investigating the “targeting” of staff involved in Elon Musk’s effort to slash the size of the U.S. government.
Career government officials have reportedly sought to counter efforts by Musk aides working with his Department of Government Efficiency to gain access to troves of classified information without proper authorization.
DOGE was announced as an ambitious effort to cut the federal workforce and slash billions in government spending, but critics say it is being used to target agencies and government programs viewed as out of step with Trump’s conservative and more isolationist “America First” agenda.
The statement by Edward Martin, the acting U.S. attorney in Washington, was the first evidence that resistance to Musk’s effort could carry legal consequences, potentially chilling opposition by public workers concerned about what they see as overreach by DOGE.
“Our initial review of the evidence presented to us indicates that certain individuals and/or groups have committed acts that appear to violate the law in targeting DOGE employees,” Martin said in a statement.
Martin said the FBI and other law enforcement agencies were preparing to “proceed rapidly.”
Musk says USAID to be shut down in government cost-cutting drive
The statement came after Martin publicly shared a letter he wrote to Musk on Monday seeking information on anyone who sought to threaten or impede people working with Musk.
Musk posted a thank you in response to Martin’s message.
It is unclear whom prosecutors believe may have violated the law or what charges they could face. It is unusual for a prosecutor to discuss an active investigation before bringing charges in court.
The Trump administration removed two top security officials at the U.S. Agency for International Development, a top Musk target, after they tried to stop DOGE representatives from gaining access to secure parts of the building.
The security personnel were confronted by members of the U.S. Marshals Service, Reuters reported.
The New York Times reported that a career Treasury Department official unsuccessfully resisted efforts by the DOGE team to gain access to the agency’s payment system.
Musk, the world’s richest person and the chief executive of Tesla and SpaceX as well as owner of X, is leading an effort to dramatically cut the U.S. government. He has already offered sweeping buyouts to the federal workforce.
Martin, as interim U.S. attorney, oversaw the dismissal of all pending criminal cases tied to the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol following a directive from Trump.
He has made several public statements supporting Trump and denigrating his political opponents, breaking with tradition for U.S. attorneys, who typically avoid any statement that could be perceived as political.
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