
According to sources, the Department of Government Efficiency under Elon Musk’s control uses programmed systems to scan communications within federal agencies looking for public servants who oppose current presidential decisions. The surveillance program organized at the Environmental Protection Agency brings an unusual combination of technology to recognize potential government staff disloyalty.
Despite budget cuts and staff decrease the EPA sent warnings through its managers about DOGE monitoring on Microsoft Teams and other communication platforms. The system scans content that shows hatred towards Trump or Musk according to official sources. EPA staff sources claim that monitoring software targets conversations that show opposition to Trump or Musk.
Government officials who specialize in ethical matters express deep doubts about these techniques. The work approaches government power could be used to silence people with views that the president disfavors according to Kathleen Clark from Washington University in St. Louis.
DOGE faces legal problems because of concerns about its business procedures following federal transparency requirements:
- The group prefers Signal for secure messaging because it applies encryption and automatic data deletion.
- Employees hide public document records within Google Docs instead of following formal protocol.
- Developers believe the team’s practices break federal policy on keeping official records.
The EPA confirmed they use AI to improve their work operations yet stated they do not employ this technology to make decisions about personnel.
People now question DOGE’s special authority to transform government departments since its recent problems emerged. Many critics from both Democratic and Republican parties believe DOGE removes non-partisan federal workers and functions with low oversight when led by Elon Musk. A federal judge recently told DOGE to show ethics watchdog groups its inner records but the agency has not yet made these records public.