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</a></div></div><div class=header_right><h1>Dems want answers on national security risks posed by hiring freeze, DOGE probes</h1></div><div class=header_left><div class="comments_wrap desktop_only"><a aria-label="Read comments on this article, currently there are 3 comments"title="View comments on this article"class=comment_count href=https://forums.theregister.com/forum/all/2025/02/06/democrat_trump_admin_letter/> <strong aria-hidden=true>3</strong> <img alt="comment bubble on white"aria-hidden=true height=16 src=/design_picker/f5daacc84b9722c1e31ba85f836c37e4ad993fc4/graphics/icons/bubble_comment_white.png srcset=/design_picker/f5daacc84b9722c1e31ba85f836c37e4ad993fc4/graphics/icons/bubble_comment_white.svg width=18> </a></div></div><div class=header_right><h2>Are cybersecurity roles included? Are Elon's enforcers vetted? Inquiring minds want to know</h2><div class=byline_and_dateline_and_share_and_comments><div class=byline_wrap><img alt=icon class=vulture_icon src=/design_picker/d518b499f8a6e2c65d4d8c49aca8299d54b03012/graphics/icon/vulture_red.svg><a title="Read more by this author"class=byline href=/Author/Brandon-Vigliarolo> Brandon Vigliarolo </a></div><div class=dateline_wrap><span class=dateline> Thu 6 Feb 2025 <span class=slashes> // </span> 18:30 UTC </span></div></div></div></div><div id=main-col><div class=article_wrap id=article-wrapper><div class=left_col><div class=floating_bar><div class="sharing_widget_story_desktop uses_overlay"><button aria-label="Share this story"title="Share this story"class=top_blob><img alt height=25 src=/design_picker/d2e337b97204af4aa34dda04c4e5d56d954b216f/graphics/icons/social_share_icon.svg width=25></button><div class=sharing_widget_overlay id=sharing_widget_overlay_2><div class=sharing_box><a data-social=reddit href=https://www.reddit.com/submit?url=https://www.theregister.com/2025/02/06/democrat_trump_admin_letter/%3futm_medium%3dshare%26utm_content%3darticle%26utm_source%3dreddit&title=Dems%20want%20answers%20on%20national%20security%20risks%20posed%20by%20hiring%20freeze%2c%20DOGE%20probes target=_blank> </a><a class=twit data-social=twitter href=https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Dems%20want%20answers%20on%20national%20security%20risks%20posed%20by%20hiring%20freeze%2c%20DOGE%20probes&url=https://www.theregister.com/2025/02/06/democrat_trump_admin_letter/%3futm_medium%3dshare%26utm_content%3darticle%26utm_source%3dtwitter&via=theregister target=_blank> </a><a class=faceb_dialog data-social=facebook href=https://www.facebook.com/dialog/feed?app_id=1404095453459035&display=popup&link=https://www.theregister.com/2025/02/06/democrat_trump_admin_letter/%3futm_medium%3dshare%26utm_content%3darticle%26utm_source%3dfacebook target=_blank> </a><br class=hide_after_sm><a class=linkedin_social data-social=linkedin href=https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://www.theregister.com/2025/02/06/democrat_trump_admin_letter/%3futm_medium%3dshare%26utm_content%3darticle%26utm_source%3dlinkedin&title=Dems%20want%20answers%20on%20national%20security%20risks%20posed%20by%20hiring%20freeze%2c%20DOGE%20probes&summary=Are%20cybersecurity%20roles%20included%3f%20Are%20Elon%27s%20enforcers%20vetted%3f%20Inquiring%20minds%20want%20to%20know target=_blank> </a><a data-social=whatsapp href=https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=https://www.theregister.com/2025/02/06/democrat_trump_admin_letter/%3futm_medium%3dshare%26utm_content%3darticle%26utm_source%3dwhatsapp target=_blank> </a></div></div></div></div><div class=promo_advert></div></div><div class=centre_col><div id=article><div id=body><p>Elected officials are demanding answers as to whether the Trump administration and Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) are hamstringing US national security.<p>In a pair of letters sent to Charles Ezell, Office of Personnel Management acting director, and Susie Wiles, Trump's chief of staff, Democrats on the House Committee on Homeland Security (CHS) and Democratic Senators from the Select Committee on Intelligence have sought clarity on <a href=https://www.theregister.com/2025/01/21/doge_us_digital_service_renamed/ target=_blank>DOGE</a>'s activities and whether the federal workforce hiring freeze and buyout offer includes cybersecurity professionals.<p>Using an executive order, President Trump <a href=https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/hiring-freeze/ rel=nofollow target=_blank>implemented</a> a federal employee hiring freeze on his first day in office that, while including an exception for "national security" positions, did not define what those positions were.<div aria-hidden=true class=adun data-md=,fluid,mpu, data-pos=top data-raptor=condor data-sm=,fluid,mpu, data-xsm=,fluid,mpu,><noscript><a href=https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_security/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2Z6URMVT_NBH7OIo9fHt1tAAAAcI&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0 target=_blank> <img alt src=https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/ad?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_security/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2Z6URMVT_NBH7OIo9fHt1tAAAAcI&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0> </a></noscript></div><p>"Related guidance from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and the Office of Management and Budget similarly failed to clarify how agency heads should implement this exemption," the CHS Dems' <a href=https://democrats-homeland.house.gov/download/opm-hiring-freeze-letter-02052025 rel=nofollow target=_blank>letter</a> [PDF] notes. As of February 2, the letter adds, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) doesn't have a single open position posted on the government's USAJOBS website, suggesting the freeze is at the very least affecting CISA's ability to fill infosec roles.<div aria-hidden=true class=adun data-lg=,fluid,mpu,leaderboard, data-pos=top data-raptor=falcon data-xlg=,fluid,billboard,superleaderboard,mpu,leaderboard, data-xmd=,fluid,mpu,leaderboard, data-xxlg=,fluid,billboard,superleaderboard,brandwidth,brandimpact,leaderboard,mpu,><noscript><a href=https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_security/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44Z6URMVT_NBH7OIo9fHt1tAAAAcI&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0 target=_blank> <img alt src=https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/ad?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_security/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44Z6URMVT_NBH7OIo9fHt1tAAAAcI&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D426raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0> </a></noscript></div><div class=adun_eagle_desktop_story_wrapper><div aria-hidden=true class=adun data-pos=mid data-raptor=eagle data-xxlg=,mpu,dmpu,><noscript><a href=https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_security/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33Z6URMVT_NBH7OIo9fHt1tAAAAcI&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0 target=_blank> <img alt src=https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/ad?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_security/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33Z6URMVT_NBH7OIo9fHt1tAAAAcI&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0> </a></noscript></div></div><p>"A hiring freeze that precludes federal agencies from filling cybersecurity positions risks the security of federal networks and may prevent sector risk management agencies from fulfilling their obligations to help defend critical infrastructure," the letter continues.<blockquote class=pullquote><p>DOGE inspectors already have gained access to classified materials, including intelligence reports ... sensitive government payment systems ... and federal personnel data</blockquote><p>The CHS Democrats also mentioned the struggle the US government has had in recruiting and retaining cybersecurity professionals, pointing to Biden-era <a href=https://www.theregister.com/2024/09/05/white_house_cyber_jobs/ target=_blank>programs</a> designed to fill the cybersecurity gap.<p>"Reckless attacks on federal workers risk reversing recent progress in addressing the federal government's cyber workforce shortage," the letter states.<p>The CHS Democrats also complained that the <a href=https://www.theregister.com/2025/01/29/us_government_workers_resign_deal/ target=_blank>OPM-offered buyout</a> of federal employees would further exacerbate the cybersecurity talent shortage, asking Ezell to specifically tell them how many cybersecurity professionals had chosen to take the severance deal and where they worked. Like the hiring freeze executive order, the "fork in the road" paid resignation offer included an exception for those in national security positions, but neglected to define what that meant.<div aria-hidden=true class=adun data-md=,fluid,mpu, data-pos=top data-raptor=falcon data-sm=,fluid,mpu, data-xsm=,fluid,mpu,><noscript><a href=https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_security/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44Z6URMVT_NBH7OIo9fHt1tAAAAcI&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0 target=_blank> <img alt src=https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/ad?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_security/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44Z6URMVT_NBH7OIo9fHt1tAAAAcI&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D426raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0> </a></noscript></div><p>The letter gives Ezell until February 19 to answer the CHS Dems' questions. We've reached out to the OPM and the CHS, the latter of which told us it didn't expect to receive an answer so quickly. The OPM hasn't responded to questions.<h3 class=crosshead>DOGE demands intensify</h3><p>The Democratic half of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence has also made its displeasure with the Trump administration known, sending a <a href=https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2025/2/release-senate-intelligence-members-sound-the-alarm-about-doge-risk-to-national-security-and-american-privacy rel=nofollow target=_blank>letter</a> to Wiles demanding answers on several aspects of Musk's DOGE team and whether it's endangering US national security and the privacy of American citizens.<div class=boxout><p><em><strong>What has DOGE been up to?</strong></em> There are various reports of the secretive team, with President Trump's blessing, accessing highly sensitive systems at the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the General Services Administration, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and the Dept of Education, at least.<p>This has included, it's said, pushing code that makes it easier to block payments directly to production on the Treasury's critical payment system. All with the stated intention of rooting out inefficiencies, aka things Elon Musk doesn't approve of.</div><p>"We write to express our grave concern with the illegal actions currently being undertaken by the Department of Government Efficiency," the Senators, led by committee vice chairman Senator Mark Warner (D-VA), state in the missive. "DOGE inspectors already have gained access to classified materials, including intelligence reports ... sensitive government payment systems, including for Social Security and Medicare ... and federal personnel data."<p>"As of today the scope of DOGE's access only seems to be expanding," the letter continues, adding that despite its growing grip on the federal bureaucracy, Congress hasn't been told who has been hired, how their regulatory authority has been granted, nor how the group "is vetting and monitoring its staff and representatives before providing them seemingly unfettered access to classified materials and Americans' personal information."<ul class=listinks><li><a href=https://www.theregister.com/2025/02/05/trump_administration_reclassified_cios/>Trump admin seeks to reclassify federal CIOs, opening door to political appointees</a><li><a href=https://www.theregister.com/2025/02/05/tom_krause_treasury_read_only_access/>DOGE latest: Citrix supremo has 'read-only' access to US Treasury payment system</a><li><a href=https://www.theregister.com/2025/02/03/trump_admin_scrubs_dei_websites/>Trump scrubs all mention of DEI, gender, climate change from federal websites</a><li><a href=https://www.theregister.com/2025/02/03/musk_doge_treasury_usaid/>Musk's DOGE ship gets 'full' access to Treasury payment system, sinks USAID</a></ul><p>The letter states that government employees are typically only allowed to see the information DOGE has been accessing after "a rigorous background investigation," and even then access is only granted on a need-to-know basis.<p>"Circumventing these requirements creates enormous counterintelligence and security risks," the Senators's letter continues. Those counterintelligence threats and security risks are likely only exacerbated by <a href=https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2025/02/elon-musk-doge-green-card-trump/681575/ rel=nofollow target=_blank>reports</a> that DOGE chief Musk wanted to hire a Turkish-born venture capitalist and ally who isn't a US citizen to join the team gutting federal agencies. While Trump's advisors reportedly denied Musk's request, the fact it was made at all indicates DOGE might not be vetting employees based on US cybersecurity standards.<blockquote class=pullquote><p>The American people, and our intelligence officials, deserve to know that their information is being appropriately safeguarded</blockquote><p>Additionally, the Senators expressed concern that the DOGE team was ignoring cybersecurity requirements for accessing federal networks by, among other things, reportedly connecting personal devices to sensitive government networks.<p>"Such unregulated practices with our government's most sensitive networks render Americans' personal and financial information, and our classified national secrets, vulnerable to ransomware and cyber-attacks by criminals and foreign adversaries," the letter states.<p>"The Executive Branch cannot operate without regard to rules, regulations, or Congressional oversight," the Senators conclude. "The American people, and our intelligence officials, deserve to know that their information is being appropriately safeguarded."<p>Senator Warner's team told <em>The Register</em> that, "unsurprisingly," it hadn't heard from the White House since sending the letter – but it had better, his office added.<div aria-hidden=true class=adun data-lg=,mpu,dmpu, data-md=,mpu,dmpu, data-pos=mid data-raptor=eagle data-sm=,mpu,dmpu, data-xlg=,mpu,dmpu, data-xmd=,mpu,dmpu, data-xsm=,mpu,dmpu, id=story_eagle_xsm_sm_md_xmd_lg_xlg><noscript><a href=https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_security/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33Z6URMVT_NBH7OIo9fHt1tAAAAcI&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0 target=_blank> <img alt src=https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/ad?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_security/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33Z6URMVT_NBH7OIo9fHt1tAAAAcI&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0> </a></noscript></div><p>"The Senator certainly expects the White House to provide the requested information, consistent with [the] Committee's oversight obligations," Warner's communications team said.<p>As with the <a href=https://www.theregister.com/2025/02/06/democrats_opm_server/ target=_blank>letter</a> sent yesterday by Democrats on the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform – which demanded answers about an OPM email server set up after Trump's inauguration that <a href=https://www.theregister.com/2025/01/29/opm_email_lawsuit/ target=_blank>allegedly violated federal law</a> – the Senate Democrats have set a February 14 deadline.<p>The White House hasn't responded to questions. ®<div class="wptl 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302px"srcset="https://regmedia.co.uk/2025/02/05/treasury.jpg?x=302&y=151&crop=1 302w, https://regmedia.co.uk/2025/02/05/treasury.jpg?x=604&y=302&crop=1 604w"alt height=100 src=https://regmedia.co.uk/2025/02/05/treasury.jpg?x=150&y=100&crop=1 width=150></div> <div class=article_text_elements><h4>DOGE latest: Citrix supremo has 'read-only' access to US Treasury payment system</h4><div class=standfirst>CEO of Cloud Software a 'special government employee' probing for Team Elon</div><div class=time_comments><span class=section_name>Public Sector</span><span title="5 Feb 2025 19:30"class=time_stamp data-epoch=1738783814>1 day</span> | <span class="comment light_bg_comments">24</span></div></div> </a></article><article><a class=story_link href=/2025/02/03/musk_doge_treasury_usaid/?td=keepreading> <div class=story_grid_img><img sizes="(max-width: 799px) 302px, 302px"srcset="https://regmedia.co.uk/2025/01/06/shutterstock_muskglee.jpg?x=302&y=151&crop=1 302w, 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class=story_link href=/2025/01/30/uk_canvassing_app_issues/?td=keepreading> <div class=story_grid_img><img sizes="(max-width: 799px) 302px, 302px"srcset="https://regmedia.co.uk/2022/09/20/privacy.jpg?x=302&y=151&crop=1 302w, https://regmedia.co.uk/2022/09/20/privacy.jpg?x=604&y=302&crop=1 604w"alt height=100 src=https://regmedia.co.uk/2022/09/20/privacy.jpg?x=150&y=100&crop=1 width=150></div> <div class=article_text_elements><h4>Canvassing apps used by UK political parties riddled with privacy, security issues</h4><div class=standfirst>Neither Labour, Conservatives, nor the Lib Dems offered a retort to rights org's report</div><div class=time_comments><span class=section_name>Research</span><span title="30 Jan 2025 12:8"class=time_stamp data-epoch=1738238891>7 days</span> | <span class="comment light_bg_comments">20</span></div></div> </a></article></div></div><div aria-hidden=true class=adun data-lg=,fluid,mpu,leaderboard, data-md=,fluid,mpu,dmpu, data-pos=btm data-raptor=owl 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