DOGE May Have Misused Social Security Data to Challenge Election Results
New court filings reveal that two members of Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) may have improperly accessed and potentially shared Americans’ Social Security data to support efforts aimed at overturning election results in key states. The disclosure—part of a legal correction by the Justice Department—raises serious questions about data privacy, federal oversight, and the role of politically aligned tech teams within government agencies. If confirmed, the breach could mark one of the most significant misuses of sensitive citizen data in recent U.S. history.
What Happened Inside the Social Security Administration?
According to court documents filed by Justice Department official Elizabeth Shapiro on January 20, 2026, the controversy centers on communications between unnamed DOGE team members embedded at the Social Security Administration (SSA) and a political advocacy group in March 2025. That group, which remains unidentified, had acquired state voter rolls and sought help analyzing them for alleged voter fraud.
The stated goal? To “overturn election results in certain States,” Shapiro wrote.
One DOGE member—acting in their official capacity as an SSA employee—reportedly signed a “Voter Data Agreement” with the advocacy group. This agreement appears to have authorized access to federal data systems, despite existing court orders that explicitly barred such use of SSA information. Worse still, internal emails suggest the team may have stored or processed this data on unauthorized third-party servers, violating both federal cybersecurity protocols and privacy laws.
Why This Breach Matters Beyond Politics
While the immediate context is electoral, the implications stretch far beyond partisan disputes. Social Security numbers are among the most sensitive identifiers in the American data ecosystem. Unauthorized access doesn’t just risk identity theft—it undermines public trust in foundational institutions like the SSA.
Critically, Shapiro emphasized that there’s no evidence other SSA employees knew about these actions. “At this time, there is no evidence that SSA employees outside of the involved members of the DOGE Team were aware of the communications with the advocacy group,” she wrote. That isolation may limit institutional liability—but it also points to a troubling lack of internal controls around high-access roles granted to external operatives.
This case highlights a growing tension in modern governance: the integration of private-sector tech teams into public agencies without clear ethical or operational guardrails. DOGE, launched under the Trump administration as a “lean-government” initiative led by Musk, was designed to streamline bureaucracy using Silicon Valley-style efficiency. But efficiency without accountability can quickly become exploitation.
The Legal Fallout Is Just Beginning
The revelations emerged as part of a broader correction to prior testimony given by top SSA officials in ongoing litigation over DOGE’s access to federal databases. Previously, those officials had downplayed the scope of DOGE’s data permissions. Now, the Justice Department is walking back those claims, acknowledging possible overreach.
Though it remains unclear whether actual Social Security data was transmitted to the advocacy group, the mere attempt—and the creation of a formal data-sharing agreement—could violate multiple statutes, including the Privacy Act of 1974 and the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act. Investigators are reportedly reviewing email chains and server logs to determine if data exfiltration occurred.
Legal experts say even the intent to misuse protected data could trigger criminal penalties. “You don’t need to prove the data was used,” said civil rights attorney Maya Lin, who specializes in digital privacy. “Just accessing it for an unauthorized purpose—especially one tied to election interference—is a red flag under federal law.”
How DOGE Became a Lightning Rod for Controversy
The Department of Government Efficiency was never meant to be controversial. Pitched as a bipartisan solution to bloated bureaucracy, DOGE was championed by Elon Musk after his 2024 advisory role in the Trump administration. The idea was simple: inject agile tech practices into slow-moving agencies, cut waste, and modernize infrastructure.
But from the start, critics warned that embedding private actors with political ties into core government functions posed risks. DOGE staff—often hired through non-traditional channels—were granted unusually broad system access, sometimes bypassing standard background checks or ethics reviews.
Now, those warnings appear prescient. This isn’t the first time DOGE has drawn scrutiny. In late 2025, watchdog groups raised alarms about its involvement in VA health data systems and IRS audit algorithms. But the Social Security episode is by far the most severe, directly linking DOGE activities to election integrity—a third rail in American democracy.
What’s Next for Oversight and Reform?
Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are calling for emergency hearings. Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR), chair of the Senate Finance Committee, which oversees the SSA, called the allegations “deeply alarming” and demanded a full forensic audit of all DOGE-related data access logs.
Meanwhile, the Biden administration—now in its final year—faces pressure to dismantle or radically restructure DOGE before the next presidential transition. Some policy analysts argue the unit should never have existed in its current form. “Government isn’t a startup,” said Dr. Elena Torres, a public administration scholar at Georgetown. “You can’t ‘move fast and break things’ when the things are people’s Social Security records.”
Civil society organizations are also mobilizing. The Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) announced plans to file an amicus brief in the underlying lawsuit, urging courts to impose stricter limits on inter-agency data sharing with politically affiliated entities.
A Warning for the Future of Digital Governance
This incident serves as a stark reminder: as governments increasingly rely on tech-driven solutions, safeguards must evolve just as quickly. The promise of efficiency cannot eclipse the principles of transparency, legality, and equity.
For everyday Americans, the takeaway is personal. Your Social Security number isn’t just a digit sequence—it’s a key to your financial identity, healthcare access, and retirement security. When that data is treated as a tool for political ends, everyone’s safety is compromised.
As investigations continue, one thing is clear: the line between innovation and intrusion has been crossed. Restoring trust will require more than apologies—it will demand structural reform, rigorous oversight, and a renewed commitment to placing citizens—not algorithms or agendas—at the center of public service.
The story of DOGE’s alleged misuse of Social Security data isn’t just about what happened in 2025. It’s a blueprint for what must never happen again.
