The Trump administration is pushing back against a federal court order that restricts access to Treasury Department systems, arguing that the ruling is unconstitutional and undermines the authority of the Executive Branch. The Department of Justice (DOJ) has filed an emergency motion urging the court to dissolve the order, which limits access to Treasury data only to civil servants while excluding political appointees. The administration contends that the restriction unjustly blocks individuals who are accountable to the president from overseeing critical government functions.
Attorneys for the DOJ argue that the court’s decision improperly interferes with the executive’s ability to manage federal agencies, including the Treasury Department. They assert that the ruling even applies to Senate-confirmed Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, which they claim further highlights the overreach of the order. According to the DOJ’s motion, democratic accountability requires that politically appointed officials, who ultimately answer to the president, retain full authority over government operations.
The ruling in question was issued early Saturday morning by U.S. District Judge Paul Engelmayer. It came in response to a lawsuit from a coalition of 19 states seeking to block special employees from the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Elon Musk, from accessing Treasury data. The lawsuit claims that granting access to Musk and his team is unlawful and poses a risk to the integrity of the government’s financial systems.
The court order prohibits political appointees and special government employees from accessing any Treasury Department payment records, financial data, or personally identifiable information. It further mandates that any material already obtained must be destroyed. The plaintiffs argue that allowing DOGE personnel access to Treasury systems creates vulnerabilities that could lead to hacking or other forms of data manipulation.
The DOJ, however, insists that the only DOGE employee who viewed the system was Thomas Krause, who had “over the shoulder access” rather than direct or personal access to payment data. They maintain that there is no basis for treating political appointees differently from career civil servants regarding Treasury oversight.
In its motion, the DOJ describes the order as an “extraordinary and unprecedented judicial interference” with the executive branch. It warns that preventing Treasury’s leadership from carrying out their duties, even temporarily, could result in irreparable harm to the government’s ability to function. If the court does not fully revoke the order, the administration is at least requesting modifications to clarify its scope.
The decision has sparked strong reactions from both the administration and its supporters. President Trump called the ruling “a disgrace,” stating that judges should not have the authority to impose such restrictions on the executive branch. Meanwhile, Musk took to social media to criticize the judge, alleging corruption and calling for his impeachment.
The legal battle will continue with a hearing scheduled for Friday before U.S. District Judge Jeannette Vargas, who will preside over the case moving forward. The administration remains firm in its position that the ruling must be overturned to restore the president’s constitutional authority over executive agencies.
