Social Security data downloaded by DOGE employee, whistleblower says

Elon Musk's Department of Governmental Efficiency (DOGE) was officially disbanded in Nov. 2025. But we're just starting to learn the extent of the damage wrought by this extraordinary IT department, which experts warn still exists in all but name.

Case in point: A whistleblower report filed with the inspector general of the Social Security Administration, first revealed Wednesday by the Washington Post. This anonymous whistleblower alleges that an unnamed ex-DOGE employee took a thumb drive of sensitive Social Security data on millions of Americans to his next employer — while boasting to former colleagues that he still had "god-level access" to highly sensitive agency data.

The whistleblower's claims are being investigated by the agency's still-functional Office of Inspector General, according to a letter sent to congressional oversight committees and obtained by multiple outlets. If true, the allegations would constitute "one of the largest known data breaches in American history," Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon told The Independent, with "the explicit purpose of weaponizing Americans’ sensitive personal data for political gain."

The DOGE employee also told a former co-worker he expected to receive a presidential pardon if his actions were considered illegal, the whistleblower report claims.

This isn't the first DOGE-related Social Security scandal under investigation. Another whistleblower at the agency claimed last August that DOGE had created a "live copy of the country's Social Security information in a cloud environment that circumvents oversight."

According to a six-month investigation by a congressional committee, DOGE's handling of data has put U.S. citizens at high risk. That report quoted an internal Social Security Administration risk assessment, stating the likelihood of a "catastrophic adverse effect" — one that might require every single American with a Social Security number to receive a new one.

The Social Security Administration has experienced data breaches prior to DOGE; we've explained what you can do if you fear your number has been exposed. This latest whistleblower complaint, however, seems to put the potential for such risks on a whole new level.