Musk’s Unchallenged Power: Employees Disciplined for Blocking Access to Security Zones

Tesla CEO’s influence grows as internal conflicts intensify over security breaches at USAID / AFP

Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), has taken drastic action against two top security officials at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) after they prevented DOGE staff from accessing a secure area. The two security officials were placed on administrative leave after blocking DOGE employees, who were reportedly not authorized to access sensitive information, from entering a highly secure part of the USAID building.

This disciplinary action comes just days after David Levrick, Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Treasury, resigned following an abrupt administrative leave. Levrick had opposed granting DOGE access to the Treasury’s payment systems. As Musk continues to extend his influence over federal agencies, particularly with his significant control over government data and classified information, internal tensions within the U.S. government are intensifying.

On February 2nd, reports from major outlets such as AP and CNN revealed that the USAID security personnel had prevented DOGE representatives from entering the facility, citing the lack of proper clearance. A Democratic Senate staff member, speaking anonymously, confirmed the incident, explaining that the DOGE staff members threatened to call in the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) to escalate the situation after being blocked by security guards. Following the disciplinary action against the security staff, DOGE personnel were allowed access to USAID’s classified materials, as confirmed by AP.

Musk, who is also the CEO of Twitter (now X), took to social media to express his dissatisfaction, calling USAID a "criminal organization" and using strong language to criticize the agency. In addition to the two security officials, about 30 other USAID employees lost access to their email accounts overnight, with nearly 100 employees within the agency facing job suspensions in just one week.

Senator Jeanne Shaheen, a Democrat and chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, condemned the incident, calling it "extremely serious and unprecedented." She highlighted the potential threat posed by unauthorized individuals gaining access to USAID's confidential spaces and U.S. citizens' private information.

USAID, an independent agency with approximately 10,000 employees and an annual budget of $42.8 billion, plays a critical role in U.S. foreign aid. Established in 1961, USAID is responsible for humanitarian aid and development assistance worldwide, focusing on poverty alleviation, disease prevention, and responding to natural disasters and food crises.

However, tensions surrounding the agency have escalated due to political changes under the Trump administration, which recently canceled policies related to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and temporarily halted all federal aid disbursements. On January 31st, over 8,000 DEI-related pages were removed from various government websites, including USAID’s, which is currently inaccessible.

This marks a growing internal rift, especially after Treasury Deputy Secretary David Levrick opposed DOGE’s access to the Treasury’s payment systems. Levrick’s resistance led to his sudden exit from his post. Senator Ron Wyden, a Democrat and chair of the Senate Finance Committee, expressed concern, warning that Musk’s political influence could jeopardize national and economic security, with government programs such as Social Security and Medicare coming under his control. Analysts from CNN noted that DOGE’s aggressive stance on cutting federal spending has exacerbated the political clash, with tensions between Musk’s push for reforms and established federal agencies rising steadily.

As Musk continues to assert his influence over key government operations, his impact on both the political landscape and economic policy remains a topic of intense debate, raising questions about the future of U.S. governance and the role of private sector leaders in shaping federal agendas.