Elon Musk and the 'Cleanup' Campaign of the Federal Agency: CFPB and USAID Under Attack

In recent days, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) initiated by Elon Musk has created a media storm by attacking two important federal agencies in the United States: Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and United States Agency for International Development (USAID). These bold actions have not only stirred up public opinion but also raised concerns about information security and administrative power in the context of a turbulent political situation. Invasion of CFPB On the past Friday, as announced by the CFPB employee union NTEU 335(, three 'agents' of DOGE - Christopher Young, Nikhil Rajpal, and Gavin Kliger - appeared at the CFPB headquarters in Washington, D.C. This is seen as a follow-up to a series of shocking statements by Elon Musk on the social media platform X )formerly Twitter(. On February 4th, Musk posted 'We’re gonna delete CFPB' and later 'CFPB RIP' with a tombstone icon, indicating determination to 'clean up' this agency. Before the arrival of the DOGE team, Finance Minister Scott Bessent — who had just taken on the role of interim CFPB director after President Trump fired Rohit Chopra — took measures to prevent by terminating external communications channels and suspending some key CFPB operations. According to an internal email sent by Adam Martinez, CFPB's Chief Operating Officer, the 'agents' of DOGE were granted full access to the internal system, as if they were official agency employees. 'They appeared as if they've owned the place for a long time,' Martinez shared, raising concerns about the intrusion into sensitive CFPB data. USAID: The Unyielding Battle Not stopping at CFPB, DOGE also targets USAID - the agency responsible for US international development projects. According to the information, funding for USAID projects has been suddenly cut, putting most of the agency's employees at risk of being laid off. The initial plan of the government is to put 2,200 employees on the administrative leave list before 11:59 pm ET on Friday, and according to the US Department of Justice, 500 employees have been subjected to this measure. Labor unions such as the American Foreign Service Association and the American Federation of Government Employees did not remain silent about this action. They quickly filed lawsuits, asserting that the "destruction" of USAID without congressional approval is unconstitutional and illegal. In a hearing at the federal court in Washington, D.C., Judge Carl Nichols - appointed by Trump - temporarily halted the large-scale firing plan, although concerns about the agency's future have not been extinguished. "Structural cuts" across federal agencies In just the past week, the DOGE team has undertaken a "restructuring" by canceling 199 contracts that they consider "wasteful" across 35 federal agencies, saving about 250 million USD. Some notable decisions include canceling the climate change coordinator position in Sri Lanka and canceling workshops on "intercultural communication, diversity dialogue." It is worth noting that the Ministry of Education is also not immune to this “storm” when 3 training sponsorships on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion with a value of 15 million USD are canceled. One of the affected programs is the workshops with the theme “Decolonizing the Curriculum” - a program that DOGE deems unnecessary in the current context. Data Security Concerns At CFPB, concerns go beyond just interfering with administrative activities. DOGE has requested access to internal files containing sensitive information of employees and contractors, causing concerns about the potential compromise of personal information of the officials - and even their families. Although DOGE has not yet requested access to secure financial data from organizations supervised by the CFPB, this is still raising serious warnings. CFPB is currently managing a massive amount of data from banks, credit unions, fintech companies, debt collectors, and credit reporting agencies. While some information has been anonymized for research purposes, data such as social security numbers, bank account information, and trade secrets are still tightly protected. Social Media Reaction and Politics DOGE's actions quickly spread on social media. Elon Musk shared: "We put USAID in the wood chipper over the weekend," while former President Trump also spoke out on Truth Social with the message: "CORRUPTION IS AT AN ALL-TIME HIGH AND HAS NEVER BEEN SEEN BEFORE. SHUT IT DOWN!" These statements not only show outrage but also show ambitious plans to dramatically change the structure and operations of federal agencies. Conclusion This event marks a turning point in the power struggle and 'restructuring' of federal agencies in the United States. While DOGE asserts the reduction of 'waste' programs and contracts to improve operational efficiency, these breakthrough measures raise questions about legality, data security, and the future of government regulatory agencies. Elon Musk's bold moves and the DOGE team have created a politically charged atmosphere, as social media actions and administrative decisions could potentially alter the power structure within the federal government. While the courts and unions are working to protect employee rights and ensure the legality of decisions, public opinion continues to closely monitor this unprecedented 'restructuring' process.