Judge stops Trump appointees accessing Treasury payment records

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A federal judge has temporarily blocked access to Treasury Department data for Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) following legal action from multiple state attorneys general.

The ruling, issued by U.S. District Judge Paul Engelmayer, came in response to a temporary restraining order application filed by attorneys general from 19 states, including New York, California, and Illinois. The lawsuit challenges a recent Treasury Department policy implemented under President Donald Trump and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s direction.

You have a judge who said the Secretary of the Treasury is not allowed to access treasury payments but some unelected pencil pusher who’s accountable to no one can. My God what are they trying to hide.

— Insurrection Barbie (@DefiyantlyFree) February 8, 2025

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At issue is the policy’s expansion of access to Bureau of Fiscal Services payment systems, which would have granted broader data access to political appointees and special government employees within the Trump administration.

The lawsuit, filed by attorneys general from states spanning from Hawaii to Massachusetts, argues that the policy violates multiple legal principles. The states contend that the measure exceeds Treasury Department authority, breaches separation of powers, and fails to comply with the Administrative Procedure Act and the Constitution’s Take Care Clause.

Obama-Appointed Federal Judge Paul Engelmayer Bans All President Trump’s Political Appointees – Including Treasury Secretary Bessent – From Accessing Treasury Data https://t.co/wVuQiCe6ab pic.twitter.com/Wg89yYJnVP

— Liberty Times & Politics (@dmills3710) February 8, 2025

Under Judge Engelmayer’s order, Trump and Bessent are prohibited from allowing access to Treasury Department records, payment systems, and data containing confidential financial or personally identifiable information. The restriction applies to political appointees, special government employees, and those detailed from outside agencies. Only civil servants with job-related needs may access these systems.

The case, which will be overseen by Biden-appointed U.S. District Judge Jeannette Vargas, is formally titled New York v. Trump and is being heard in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York under case number 1:25-cv-1144.