New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin today joined a coalition of 19 attorneys general in filing a lawsuit against the Trump administration to stop the unauthorized disclosure of Americans’ private information and sensitive data. The lawsuit asserts that the Trump Administration illegally provided Elon Musk and the so-called “Department of Government Efficiency” (“DOGE”) unauthorized access to the Treasury Department’s central payment system, and therefore to Americans’ most sensitive personal information, including bank account details and Social Security numbers. This expanded access could allow Musk and his team to block federal funds to states and programs providing health care, child care, and other critical services. With this lawsuit, the coalition of attorneys general is seeking to stop the Trump Administration’s new policy that illegally grants DOGE, Musk, and others access to Americans’ confidential information and the U.S. Treasury’s payment systems.

"President Trump has allowed an unelected billionaire to infiltrate key federal agencies and systems that store Social Security numbers, banking information, and other extremely sensitive data for millions of people," said Attorney General Platkin. "These unlawful actions have put at risk the financial and information security of our State and residents and Americans across the country, and they are completely unacceptable. Americans never elected Elon Musk, and our lawsuit seeks to protect New Jerseyans from this unprecedented breach of privacy, and of the laws of our nation. I will never back down from a fight to protect our residents from harm — even if it is against the richest man in the world."

Beginning February 2, 2025, the Trump administration’s Treasury Department adopted a new policy that grants “special government employees,” including Elon Musk and members of DOGE, access to its central payment system operated by the Bureau of Fiscal Services (“BFS”). This central payment system controls vital funding that millions of Americans depend on, including Social Security payments, veterans benefits, Medicare and Medicaid payments, and more. The payment system also controls billions of dollars that states rely on to support essential services like law enforcement, public education, and infrastructure repairs.

Access to BFS is limited by federal law to a select group of career civil servants with the appropriate security clearances. Attorney General Platkin and the coalition assert the Treasury Department’s new policy, which expands access to BFS’s payment system, violates the law, jeopardizes Americans’ most sensitive personal information, and would allow Elon Musk and other unauthorized political appointees to access a system that could permit them to freeze federal funds with the click of a button in violation of the Constitution.

With this lawsuit, Attorney General Platkin and the coalition of attorneys general are seeking an injunction preventing the Trump administration from continuing its new policy of expanded access to BFS’s payment system, as well as a declaration that the Treasury Department’s policy change is unlawful and unconstitutional.

Joining Attorney General Platkin in filing the lawsuit are the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Wisconsin.