Elon Musk targets leakers in government task force

Elon Musk is intensifying his threats against those who leak information from his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). He is upset that The New York Times reported he had access to secret plans about fighting a war with China, which he denies. On social media, he said he looks forward to prosecuting Pentagon employees for sharing "maliciously false information." However, Musk's threats are not deterring leakers. In fact, several government employees who spoke with Politico suggested the threats may encourage more leaks. One employee from the Food and Drug Administration remarked, "We are public servants, not Elon’s servants." This employee emphasized the public's right to know about the issues within the government. A worker from the Department of Agriculture echoed this sentiment, calling leakers "patriots." They argued that if past administrations had acted similarly, it would not have been tolerated. The aim of DOGE is to identify governmental corruption, which aligns with the goals of those leaking information. Historically, leaks have been a point of frustration for past administrations, including Donald Trump's. His government also faced issues with employees revealing sensitive information. Interestingly, one of Musk's team members in DOGE was previously fired for leaking company secrets.