Appeals Court Restores Elon Musk’s DOGE Data Access

Appeals Court Restores Elon Musk’s DOGE Data Access \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ A federal appeals court ruled Monday that Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) can regain access to private data held by three major U.S. agencies. The decision is a legal win for the Trump administration, as a lawsuit alleging privacy violations continues. The court’s majority said the government showed strong merit in its appeal.

Quick Looks

• DOGE regains access to personal data at the Education Dept., Treasury, and OPM
• A federal judge previously blocked access, citing privacy concerns and insufficient justification
• The ruling is a win for the Trump administration amid ongoing litigation
• DOGE, led by Elon Musk, aims to root out waste and modernize IT systems
• Plaintiffs, including the American Federation of Teachers, allege Privacy Act violations
• Data accessed includes Social Security numbers, birth dates, addresses, and more
• Judges Agee and Richardson lifted the injunction, citing weak evidence of concrete harm
• Judge King dissented, calling for a full appeals court review
• The 4th Circuit has previously sided with Trump on DEI and agency access cases
• DOGE remains blocked from the Social Security Administration’s systems

Deep Look

Appeals Court Sides with Trump Administration, Reinstates DOGE Data Access

In a significant legal victory for the Trump administration, a federal appeals court on Monday reinstated the ability of Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to access private data from three key federal agencies, reversing a lower court’s injunction that had blocked such access.

The split 2-1 decision from the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals allows DOGE to once again retrieve sensitive personal data from the Department of Education, Department of the Treasury, and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) while litigation continues in federal court.

Background: Lawsuit Over Alleged Privacy Violations

The lawsuit—led by the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and joined by multiple unions and individuals—accuses the Trump administration of violating federal privacy laws by granting DOGE unfettered access to federal systems containing personal information on tens of millions of Americans.

That data includes:

• Social Security numbers
• Income and asset details
• Home addresses
• Birth dates
• Marital and citizenship status

The plaintiffs argue that individuals never consented to DOGE’s access and that the agency has overstepped its stated mandate by using the data for purposes beyond its lawful scope, particularly at the Department of Education.

According to the complaint, DOGE’s involvement with federal student loan data was less about improving systems and more about “dismantling the agency.”

Trump Administration: DOGE Targets Waste and Modernization

The Trump administration has maintained that DOGE’s mission is to eliminate fraud, waste, and outdated technology across government agencies. Officials argue that DOGE needs broad access to systems and data to identify inefficiencies and modernize legacy software infrastructure.

Led by Elon Musk, DOGE was established early in Trump’s second term and has played a central role in reshaping executive operations, often clashing with long-standing bureaucratic norms and data protections.

Appeals Court Reverses Lower Court’s Injunction

The original injunction, issued by U.S. District Judge Deborah Boardman in Baltimore, stated that the government failed to provide adequate reasoning for DOGE’s access to sensitive information. On Monday, the 4th Circuit reversed her ruling.

Writing for the majority, Judge G. Steven Agee, a George W. Bush appointee, said that Boardman misinterpreted legal precedent, asserting that “abstract access to personal information” doesn’t automatically constitute injury.

“The government has made a strong showing that it is likely to succeed on the merits of their appeal,” Agee wrote.

He was joined by Judge Julius Richardson, a Trump nominee, who wrote separately to argue that while more evidence is needed on whether the access is necessary, granting it made practical sense.

“Modernizing an agency’s IT systems would logically require administrator-level access,” Richardson added in his concurring opinion.

Dissenting View: Judge King Sounds Alarm

In a forceful dissent, Judge Robert King, a Bill Clinton appointee, criticized the ruling and argued that the lower court’s concerns were valid. He warned that giving DOGE wide-ranging access to personal data could pose serious privacy risks.

“Simply put, I think the district court got things right,” King wrote.

He also revealed he had requested a full-panel review by all judges on the 4th Circuit, but that request was denied.

Unions and Public Sector Workers at the Forefront

The American Federation of Teachers, which represents 1.8 million members, leads the legal fight. They are joined by:

• National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association
• International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers
• Six individuals, including military veterans and federal benefit recipients whose sensitive data may have been accessed without consent

The plaintiffs argue that DOGE’s actions have compromised the privacy of U.S. citizens and risk turning federal data systems into political tools.

Trump-Appointed Court Leans Toward Executive Power

This ruling is the latest in a string of court victories for the Trump administration from the 4th Circuit, which has allowed DOGE access to other agencies like the U.S. Agency for International Development, and greenlit executive orders aimed at curtailing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs.

However, DOGE remains barred from the Social Security Administration, which houses the nation’s largest troves of sensitive information, under a separate injunction.

Final Thoughts

The appeals court’s decision to reinstate DOGE’s access to federal data marks a pivotal moment in the legal battle over data privacy and executive authority. While the Trump administration celebrates the win as a step toward streamlining government and fighting fraud, critics warn that unchecked access to personal information sets a dangerous precedent.

As the lawsuit continues, the outcome could redefine how—and by whom—sensitive data is managed in the federal government. For now, Elon Musk’s controversial agency is back in the driver’s seat.

More on US News

Appeals Court Restores Appeals Court Restores