Latest news with #Americans.The
Economic Times
2 days ago
- Business
- Economic Times
Social Security privacy concerns mount as US Supreme Court authorises DOGE's access to data of millions of Americans
Rising concerns over privacy and oversight Live Events Fallout after Musk's departure from DOGE Legal battle over Government transparency (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel The US Supreme Court on Friday sided with the Trump administration in two critical decisions involving the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The rulings allow DOGE broad access to personal records held by the Social Security Administration (SSA) and delay enforcement of transparency rules sought by a government watchdog a 6-3 vote, the conservative-majority court granted DOGE permission to access sensitive SSA databases containing the personal details of millions of Americans. This includes financial, educational and medical court also paused a lower court's ruling requiring DOGE to comply with the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), allowing the administration to withhold internal documents about DOGE's Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented sharply, writing: 'This court has now greenlit unfettered data access to DOGE regardless—despite its failure to show any need or any interest in complying with existing privacy safeguards, and all before we know for sure whether federal law countenances such access.'Her concerns were echoed by Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan. Together, they warned that the court's action posed 'grave privacy risks' to millions of SSA holds data on anyone with a Social Security number, Medicare, or Supplemental Security Income. It administers $1.5 trillion in federal payments annually, distributing benefits to over 70 million Altman, president of Social Security Works , said, 'There is no way to overstate how serious a breach this is. And my understanding is that it has already occurred.'Elon Musk, who once led DOGE, formally cut ties with the agency on 30 May. His split with President Trump became public shortly after, igniting tensions on social media. The two previously worked closely, with Trump assigning DOGE and Musk to investigate fraud within February, SSA's acting commissioner Michelle King resigned after refusing to provide DOGE staff access to personal records. She stepped down after 30 years in government service, citing concerns over data misuse.A day later, the White House said it had appointed a temporary 'anti-fraud expert' to oversee SSA. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated, 'They haven't dug into the books yet, but they suspect that there are tens of millions of deceased people who are receiving fraudulent Social Security payments.'Leavitt added the mission was to, 'Number one, to identify duplicate payments and to end them. Number two, to identify payments that are going to deceased people who are no longer living and should no longer be receiving that number three, to protect the integrity of the system for hardworking Americans who have been paying into it their entire lives.'In a separate ruling, the court also halted an order from Judge Christopher Cooper, who had instructed DOGE to comply with FOIA requests. The suit, filed by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), sought records about DOGE's internal decision-making, particularly its role in mass federal layoffs and argues that DOGE functions as a de facto government agency and must follow federal transparency laws. The administration insists DOGE is merely an advisory body and is therefore Cooper previously concluded that DOGE likely exercises 'substantial independent authority' and ordered a deposition of DOGE official Amy Gleason. The US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit refused to block his order, prompting the administration to appeal to the Supreme its unsigned opinion, the court noted that Judge Cooper's orders 'are not appropriately tailored' and stressed that 'judicial deference and restraint' were required in reviewing internal executive branch responded in court filings that if the administration prevails, presidents could 'create new entities that would functionally wield substantial independent authority but are exempt from critical transparency laws.'DOGE has become a key tool in Trump's broader plan to cut government spending and reduce federal workforce numbers. It has also faced mounting legal challenges from labour unions and advocacy General D. John Sauer called earlier judicial rulings an 'overreach' into executive power. However, critics argue that unchecked access and lack of oversight could result in lasting harm to public trust and data security Maryland District Judge Ellen Hollander, whose SSA data access restriction was overturned, earlier warned that DOGE's search for fraud was a 'fishing expedition.' Her order allowed only limited access to anonymised data unless DOGE could demonstrate a specific Friday's rulings, the future of DOGE remains uncertain. With Musk gone and legal scrutiny intensifying, its role in reshaping federal oversight continues to spark debate over accountability, privacy, and the limits of executive power.
Economic Times
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Economic Times
Donald Trump says Elon Musk has 'lost his mind' as feud fallout mounts
Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel US President Donald Trump said Friday that Elon Musk had "lost his mind" but insisted he wanted to move on from the fiery split with his billionaire former ally. The blistering public break-up between the world's richest person and the world's most powerful is fraught with political and economic risks all had scrapped the idea of a call with Musk and was even thinking of ditching the red Tesla he bought at the height of their bromance, White House officials told AFP."Honestly I've been so busy working on China, working on Russia, working on Iran... I'm not thinking about Elon Musk, I just wish him well," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One en route to his New Jersey golf club late Trump told US broadcasters that he now wanted to focus instead on passing his "big, beautiful" mega-bill before Congress -- Musk's harsh criticism of which had sparked their the 78-year-old Republican could not stop himself from taking aim at his South African-born friend-turned-enemy."You mean the man who has lost his mind?" Trump said in a call with ABC when asked about Musk, adding that he was "not particularly" interested in talking to the later told Fox News that Musk had "lost it."Just a week ago Trump gave Musk a glowing send-off as he left his cost-cutting role at the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) after four months working there.- 'Very disappointed' -While there had been reports of tensions, the sheer speed at which their relationship imploded stunned Musk called Trump's spending bill an "abomination" on Tuesday, Trump hit back in an Oval Office diatribe on Thursday in which he said he was "very disappointed" by the spending bill faces a difficult path through Congress as it will raise the US deficit, while critics say it will cut health care for millions of the poorest row then went nuclear, with Musk slinging insults at Trump and accusing him without evidence of being in government files on disgraced financier and sex offender Jeffrey hit back with the power of the US government behind him, saying he could cancel the Space X boss's multi-billion-dollar rocket and satellite struck a milder tone late Friday when asked how seriously he is considering cutting Musk's contracts."It's a lot of money, it's a lot of subsidy, so we'll take a look -- only if it's fair. Only if it's to be fair for him and the country," he apparently also tried to de-escalate social media right-wing tech baron rowed back on a threat to scrap his company's Dragon spacecraft -- vital for ferrying NASA astronauts to and from the International Space on Friday the usually garrulous poster kept a low social media profile on his X social the White House denied reports that they would talk."The president does not intend to speak to Musk today," a senior White House official told AFP. A second official said Musk had requested a call.- Tesla giveaway? -Tesla stocks tanked more than 14 percent on Thursday amid the row, losing some $100 billion of the company's market value, but recovering partly is now considering either selling or giving away the cherry red Tesla S that he announced he had bought from Musk's firm in electric vehicle was still parked on the White House grounds on Friday. "He's thinking about it, yes," a senior White House official told AFP when asked if Trump would sell or give it and Musk had posed inside the car at a bizarre event in March, when the president turned the White House into a pop-up Tesla showroom after viral protests against Musk's DOGE while Trump appeared to hold many of the cards, Musk also has some to wealth allowed him to be the biggest donor to Trump's 2024 campaign, to the tune of nearly $300 million. Any further support for the 2026 midterm election now appears in doubt -- while Musk could also use his money to undermine Trump's support on the right.
India Today
02-05-2025
- Business
- India Today
Trump asks Supreme Court to grant Musk's DOGE access to Social Security data
The Trump administration has asked the US Supreme Court to intervene in its effort to grant the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) unrestricted access to the Social Security Administration's data on millions of Justice Department requested a stay on a lower court ruling that blocked the data-sharing arrangement, which the judge deemed likely in violation of federal privacy laws, news agency Reuters district court is forcing the Executive Branch to stop employees charged with modernizing government information systems from accessing the data in those systems because, in the court's judgment, those employees do not 'need' such access," the Justice Department lawyers wrote. Solicitor General D John Sauer has called on the Supreme Court to overturn an injunction issued by the US District Judge Ellen Hollander, which currently blocks the DOGE from accessing sensitive Social Security Administration data—including Social Security numbers, medical records, and financial Trump administration is requesting an immediate suspension of the judge's order while the Court weighs a longer-term decision, arguing that the restriction hampers DOGE's mission to detect waste and fraud—an effort officials describe as 'time sensitive', as reported by NBC News. Earlier this week, the full Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals rejected the Trump administration's request to allow DOGE access to sensitive Social Security data. In a 9-6 decision, the court upheld the district judge's ruling that blocked the data-sharing DOGE, led by Elon Musk, has rapidly expanded across federal agencies as part of a broader Trump-Musk initiative to eliminate waste, cut federal jobs, and restructure government administration's appeal to the Supreme Court stems from a lawsuit filed by two labor unions and an advocacy group, who argue that granting DOGE access to the Social Security Administration's most sensitive systems—including data on Americans' identities, finances, and medical history—violates federal privacy Supreme Court has asked the challengers to file their response to the administration's request by May 12.(With inputs from Reuters)Must Watch
BBC News
25-04-2025
- Business
- BBC News
California overtakes Japan as fourth largest global economy
California's economy has overtaken that of the country of Japan, making the US state the fourth largest global economic Gavin Newsom touted new data from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the US Bureau of Economic Analysis showing California's growth. The data shows California's gross domestic product (GDP) hit $4.10 trillion (£3.08 trillion) in 2024, surpassing Japan, which was marked at $4.01 trillion. The state now only trails Germany, China and the US as a whole."California isn't just keeping pace with the world - we're setting the pace," Newsom said. The new figures come as Newsom has spoken out against President Donald Trump's tariffs and voiced concern about the future of the state's economy. California has the largest share of manufacturing and agricultural production in the US. It is also home to leading technological innovation, the centre of the world's entertainment industry and the country's two largest seaports. Newsom, a prominent Democrat and possible presidential candidate in 2028, filed a lawsuit challenging Trump's authority to impose the levies, which have caused disruption to global markets and trade. Trump has enacted 10% levies on almost all countries importing to the US, after announcing a 90-day pause on higher tariffs. Another 25% tariff was imposed on Mexico and Canada. The levies on China, however, have led to an all-out trade war with the world's second largest economy. Trump imposed import taxes of up to 145% on Chinese goods coming into the US and China hit back with a 125% tax on American administration said this week that when the new tariffs were added on to existing ones, the levies on some Chinese goods could reach 245%.Newsom noted his worries about the future of the state's economy. "While we celebrate this success, we recognise that our progress is threatened by the reckless tariff policies of the current federal administration," he said. "California's economy powers the nation, and it must be protected."Trump has argued his trade war is only levelling the playing field after years of the US being taxed. The tariffs are an effort to encourage factories and jobs to return to the US. It is one major pillar of his economic agenda, as is a cut in interest rates, aimed at reducing the cost of borrowing for new data shows California's GDP behind the US at $29.18 trillion, China at $18.74 trillion and Germany at $4.65 trillion. It also shows California was the fastest growing among those economy is under pressure because of its decreasing and ageing population, which means its workforce is shrinking and social care costs are ballooning. This week, the IMF cut its economic growth forecast for Japan and projected that the central bank would raise interest rates more slowly than previously expected because of the impact of higher tariffs."The effect of tariffs announced on April 2 and associated uncertainty offset the expected strengthening of private consumption with above-inflation wage growth boosting household disposable income," its World Economic Outlook report said.
Al Etihad
18-04-2025
- Politics
- Al Etihad
Trump administration publishes cache of previously classified RFK assassination records
18 Apr 2025 19:16 NEW YORK (REUTERS)The US National Archives has released thousands of pages of records related to the assassination of Senator Robert F. Kennedy, according to the agency's website, following President Donald Trump's order to publish previously classified National Archives released over 10,000 pages of records in connection with the Kennedy's killing, according to details on its website on Friday. The move is part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to declassify information about the assassinations of a number of high-profile agency previously published records related to the 1963 assassination of then-President John F. Kennedy, who was killed several years before the senator, his brother.'Lifting the veil on the RFK papers is a necessary step toward restoring trust in American government,' US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., the senator's son, said in a statement. The health chief has previously said he believes his father was killed by multiple gunmen, an assertion that contradicts official Trump administration has also promised to declassify records related to the assassination of civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. The National Archives did not respond to a request for comment on when to expect the King files or whether more files would be released in connection with the killings of the Kennedy brothers.
