Trump Gives Musk Unprecedented Access to Federal Systems
Ask students: Who is Elon Musk and what is his role in Trump's administration? What is DOGE? Why does Trump say he created it?
President Donald Trump is pushing new boundaries by taking steps to shutter an entire government agency without warning and giving his close adviser, Elon Musk, unprecedented access to federal systems.
View the transcript of the story.
Timecode recommendations: Start video at 2:14 ("Meanwhile, the Trump administration...") to focus on the content of this lesson, Elon Musk accessing millions of Americans' personal records on behalf of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
Key Terms
- USAID – The United States Agency for International Development, which helps other countries by providing aid, such as food, medicine, and disaster relief.
- Office of Personnel Management (OPM) – The U.S. government office that helps manage federal workers, including hiring and benefits.
- General Services Administration (GSA) – A government agency that takes care of buildings, supplies, and technology for other government offices.
- Treasury Department – The part of the U.S. government that manages money, including taxes, printing dollars, and handling the country's finances.
- Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) – A law that makes sure government advisory groups are open to the public and follow fair rules.
- Transparency – Making information clear and open so people can understand how decisions are made, especially in government and businesses.
Discussion Questions
- Who is Elon Musk and what is his role in Trump's administration?
- What is DOGE? Why does Trump say he created it?
- Why did Trump give Musk and DOGE unprecedented access to sensitive internal government systems, including a Treasury Department payment system, which holds private information for millions of Americans?
- Why are there conflict of interest rules for government workers who also run their own businesses? What has the response been by groups like State Democracy Defenders Fund and the AFL-CIO related to DOGE?
- When was USAID shut down? What evidence did Trump and Musk provide of widespread corruption?
Focus Questions
- Why do you think it's an unprecedented move in U.S. history that Trump has allowed Musk to access millions of Americans' personal information? Would you put it under the category of constitutional crisis (conflict in government's ability to function that the Constitution or other laws are perceived to be unable to resolve)? Why or why not?
- Do you think the public would support a close-up analysis of how government agencies spend money — if it were done with more transparency and explanation to the American people? Explain.
- Media literacy: Whose perspective would you like to hear more from in this story?
Extension Activity
Read over this line again by Kel McClanahan, executive director, National Security Counselors:
"They have decided that the things that worked for them there are a good idea to implement in the federal government. The problem is that the federal government, or any government, for that matter, does not function like a business, and it literally cannot function like a business."
How does government affect your life? Can you think of anything related to the government that affected you on your way to school? How about members of your family or your community? Are there government programs that you've seen be helpful or wasteful? Explain.
Republished with permission from PBS NewsHour Classroom.
PBS News Hour Classroom helps teachers and students identify the who, what, where and why-it-matters of the major national and international news stories. The site combines the best of News Hour's reliable, trustworthy news program with lesson plans developed specifically for... See More
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