Welcome to logoff. Today, I focus on the battle for control of the Treasury payment system. This is a legal battle that has a major impact on democracy. What is at stake is Congress' ability to control government spending, and a key (and constitutional) check on Donald Trump's power.
What's the latest? A federal judge on Thursday signed an agreement that restricts access to Elon Musk's government efficiency reaching the Treasury payment system. For now, only two Doge employees can see how they work inside the system, but they cannot make changes or cancel payments.
backup. What is the context here? For weeks, Doge employees have pushed to access a system that handles trillions of dollars of federal spending, sparring with the career (non-political) finance employees who oversee it. A group of government officials appealed to block Doge's access, bringing the agreement on Thursday.
What access does Doge want? Ultimately, Doge seeks the ability to unilaterally cancel payments. That's clear after the New York Times and CNN revealed that Trump's team tried to win the Treasury Department to cancel all payments from the US institution's international development.
What are the big stakes here? There are privacy and security concerns, but this is ultimately about the balance of power. The Treasury's ability to cancel payments would effectively provide Trump's control over government spending. The Constitution reserves Congress' power, and Trump taking it would be a massive expansion of his authority. Trump's team can also quickly paralyze spending in government agencies that don't match his agenda, making it easier to replicate USAID dismantling.
And so, it's time to log off…
Understood! I know it was a lot. Thank you for achieving that. It's Friday, so I have a choice adventure set for you. If you're tired and just need to laugh, this is my favorite (and very rewatchable) Saturday Night Live I'll skit for a while. Also, if you're motivated, here are some very useful articles on how to beat grocery bills. Either way, I am truly grateful that you have read it. Have a fulfilling weekend. See you here next week.
