Another day, another blatant disregard for ethics and security from the Trump administration. This time, it’s Marko Elez, a former Musk employee turned government staffer, who violated Treasury policy by emailing personal data—unencrypted—to Trump officials.
Let’s recap:
⚠️ A 25-year-old with no business handling sensitive Treasury data was “mistakenly” given read-and-write access to federal payment systems.
⚠️ He resigned in February over racist social media posts.
⚠️ Instead of being held accountable, he was rehired—this time at the Social Security Administration, which also handles sensitive data.
⚠️ The Treasury claims this is ‘low risk’ because the leaked data didn’t contain Social Security numbers—because, apparently, as long as you don’t go full identity theft, it’s okay?
Meanwhile, 19 state attorneys general are suing the Treasury over DOGE’s access to payment systems, and courts have already ruled that the whole process has been “rushed and chaotic.” Yet the Trump administration is doubling down, brushing off serious security violations and giving Elez another government job.
This isn’t just incompetence. This is how authoritarianism operates—handing sensitive government roles to unqualified loyalists while gutting oversight. Elez might be a small player, but the bigger picture is clear: this administration values cronyism over competence, and security be damned.
💡 We need real accountability, fundamental safeguards, and real consequences for data breaches—before these people start handing out our Social Security numbers to billionaires and cronies.
The Eclectic Educator is a free resource for everyone passionate about education and creativity. If you enjoy the content and want to support the newsletter, consider becoming a paid subscriber. Your support helps keep the insights and inspiration coming!
