A federal judge on Thursday temporarily blocked the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), fronted by Elon Musk, from personal Social Security Administration (SSA) information, delivering another judicial setback for the Trump administration.
In a 137-page temporary restraining order, U.S. District Judge Ellen Hollander wrote that DOGE also must delete any personally identifiable data that it may have in its possession.
“The American public may well applaud and support the Trump Administration’s mission to root out fraud, waste, and bloat from federal agencies, including SSA, to the extent it exists. But, by what means and methods?” the Maryland-based judge asked in her conclusion. “The DOGE Team is essentially engaged in a fishing expedition at SSA, in search of a fraud epidemic, based on little more than suspicion.”…