Landmark Ruling Backs DOGE in Cost-Cutting Mission
U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), granting it full access to sensitive personal data held by the Social Security Administration (SSA). The decision, backed by the court’s conservative majority, marks a major victory for the Trump administration’s agenda to reduce federal waste and overhaul government systems.
DOGE, once led by billionaire Elon Musk, was created to identify inefficiencies in federal spending. Its latest efforts focus on the SSA’s records, which include Social Security numbers, medical history, tax returns, and citizenship data for nearly every American.
Court Overrules Lower Judge’s Data Restrictions
The Supreme Court’s decision reverses a previous ruling by District Judge Ellen Hollander of Maryland, who had limited DOGE’s access to SSA data due to privacy concerns. Hollander described DOGE’s data request as a “fishing expedition” and paused full access while legality was reviewed.
However, the Supreme Court’s unsigned majority opinion said delaying DOGE’s access would harm federal cost-cutting efforts and that the agency was likely to be granted such access eventually.
Liberal Justices Dissent Over Privacy Fears
Justices Ketanji Brown Jackson, Sonia Sotomayor, and Elena Kagan strongly dissented. Jackson warned that the decision posed “grave privacy risks” to millions of Americans, calling it an “unfettered data handover” without proper oversight.
“The Court has truly lost its moorings,” Jackson wrote, criticizing what she called preferential treatment for the executive branch without requiring clear justification.
Government Cites Fraud and Waste in SSA
The Trump administration defended the move by pointing to significant fraud in Social Security programs. SSA’s own Inspector General reported $71.8 billion in improper payments from 2015 to 2022. Musk has previously referred to the SSA as a “Ponzi scheme,” alleging that millions of dead people are still listed as alive in federal databases.
While Musk no longer leads DOGE, his influence over its mission remains visible. The administration argues that giving DOGE access to full SSA data is essential to modernize federal databases and cut up to $700 billion in waste, according to Musk’s past estimates.
What Comes Next?
The Supreme Court’s ruling clears the path for DOGE to begin immediate data operations with the SSA. However, critics warn that it sets a dangerous precedent for government access to private data without established privacy safeguards.
As DOGE’s role continues to evolve — and as political tensions between Musk and Trump grow — the agency’s influence on federal restructuring and surveillance may be just beginning.