The Chief Data Officer of the Social Security Administration is expressing worries regarding President Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Whistleblower Charles Borges, represented by the Government Accountability Project, asserts that DOGE officials have jeopardized the safety of over 300 million Americans by establishing a live replica of the nation’s Social Security data in a cloud setting that evades oversight.

Borges uncovered critical data security problems orchestrated by DOGE officials, who are presently SSA employees, as the Social Security database was transferred to an unsafe live cloud system. The Government Accountability Project communicated with Congress and the U.S. Office of Special Counsel, outlining Borges’ account of DOGE’s actions, claiming they contravened laws and regulations, misused authority, and posed a risk to public health and safety.

The correspondence indicates that this unsecured cloud setup is a live copy of the entire nation’s Social Security data from the Numerical Identification System (NUMIDENT) database, lacking security oversight from SSA. NUMIDENT contains personal details such as names, birth information, citizenship, and Social Security numbers. If exploited by malicious individuals, Americans could experience identity theft, loss of benefits, and the government may need to reissue Social Security Numbers at a substantial expense.

An email dated July 15 reveals DOGE-embedded SSA Chief Information Officer Aram Moghaddassi endorsing the initiative, recognizing that the business necessity surpasses the security risk. Moghaddassi, who previously worked with Elon Musk’s ventures, was appointed to the government position through DOGE.

The Trump Administration, in collaboration with Elon Musk, formed DOGE following Trump’s 2024 election victory to tackle governmental inefficiencies. Nonetheless, DOGE encountered controversies, accessing sensitive information without adequate security protocols, dismantling USAID, and misleading the public regarding its findings.

DOGE’s access to Social Security data has drawn criticism, but Borges’ disclosure of a live database copy is unprecedented. Borges and the Government Accountability Project are calling on Congress to initiate an investigation.