Senior USAID Official Suspended for Denying Elon Musk’s DOGE Team Access to Secure Systems | US News
Two high-ranking officials at the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) have been put on suspension following their attempts to prevent Elon Musk’s efficiency team from accessing secure systems, as reported.
Sky News’ US affiliate, NBC News, spoke to three sources who indicated that the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) team sought entry to files that exceeded their security clearance.
These files included sensitive personnel information, security systems, and security clearance details for agency staff.
According to two sources, when USAID’s director of security John Voorhees and his deputy Brian McGill denied access, the DOGE team threatened to involve the federal Marshals Service.
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The DOGE team eventually managed to access the secure systems, though it remains unclear what information they retrieved.
Both Mr. Voorhees and Mr. McGill have been placed on administrative leave.
“No classified material was accessed without the proper security clearances,” stated Katie Miller, who served in Donald Trump’s first administration and is now part of DOGE, on X.
Musk took to X on Sunday, stating that USAID “should die” and labeled the agency as a “criminal organization” without providing any evidence.
Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen, the highest-ranking member of the Foreign Relations Committee, expressed to NBC News: “Reports suggesting that individuals lacking appropriate clearance may have accessed classified USAID areas as well as personal data of American citizens are extremely serious and unprecedented.”
“We are demanding immediate clarification regarding any potential impacts on our national security and will assemble a group of bipartisan Senators on this matter as soon as the Senate reconvenes tomorrow.”
The State Department, USAID, and Mr. Musk have not yet responded to NBC News’ inquiries for comment.
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Mr. Musk established DOGE in collaboration with the Trump administration, aiming to discover methods to reduce the federal workforce, eliminate programs, and deregulate federal policies.
USAID, which manages billions in humanitarian, developmental, and security aid across more than 100 nations, has been one of the federal entities most aggressively pursued by the Trump administration.
“It’s been operated by a group of radical extremists. And we’re getting them out,” President Trump told reporters concerning USAID on Sunday evening.
Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren asserted in a post on Sunday that President Trump was enabling Mr. Musk to access personal information and eliminate government funding.
“We must exert all efforts to resist and safeguard individuals from harm,” declared the Massachusetts senator, without providing additional details.
