1. United States
2. Ala.
3. Letter

The ongoing actions being undertaken by Elon Musk and his improvised team within the Trump administration (the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE) are deeply concerning and appear to be an undemocratic power grab that undermines the authority of Congress. As an unelected billionaire with no official government role, Musk seems to be seizing control over critical government functions like information systems, payment disbursements, and personnel decisions. This flagrant overreach poses severe risks to government operations, national security, and the personal data of millions of civil servants. Musk's team has already terminated government building leases, orchestrated workforce cuts including at the Office of Personnel Management using unqualified young staffers, set up a potentially vulnerable email server to collect employee data, and gained access to Treasury payment systems that distribute over $5 trillion annually. Senior staffers at USAID were even placed on leave for resisting Musk's attempts to access sensitive information. These actions amount to an administrative coup that consolidates power in the hands of an unelected individual while punishing those who dare to question his authority. It is an assault on democratic norms and the separation of powers. Congress must urgently intervene to halt this unilateral dismantling of the federal government before critical functions are irreparably disrupted. Musk and his team must be immediately removed from all government roles and barred from accessing systems and infrastructure for which they have no lawful oversight. The authority over government spending and operations belongs with the elected representatives of the people, not a power-hungry billionaire.