Musk’s government team faces scrutiny over nuclear data access

Two staff members from Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) were reportedly granted accounts on classified US government networks containing sensitive nuclear weapons information.

Luke Farritor, a 23-year-old former SpaceX intern, and Adam Ramada, a Miami-based venture capitalist, were given access to these systems despite lacking prior experience with nuclear weapons or handling classified data., Caliber.Az reports citing foreign media.

The Department of Energy (DOE) initially denied that Farritor and Ramada had accessed the networks, stating, "No DOGE personnel have accessed these NNSA systems. The two DOGE individuals in question worked within the agency for several days and departed DOE in February." Later, the DOE clarified that while accounts had been created for the individuals, they were never activated or used.​

The networks involved include the NNSA Enterprise Secure Network, which transmits detailed data about nuclear weapons designs and materials, and the Department of Defence's Secret Internet Protocol Router Network (SIPRNet), used for sharing classified information. Access to these networks typically requires a "Q" clearance, the highest level of security clearance at the DOE.​

While the DOE maintains that the accounts were never activated, the presence of Farritor and Ramada in the network directories has raised concerns. Experts suggest that their inclusion could represent an escalation in DOGE's access privileges within the agency. Hans Kristensen, director of the Nuclear Information Project at the Federation of American Scientists, noted that while large portions of the nuclear weapons budget are unclassified, many details likely remain classified, potentially justifying the creation of these accounts for discussions on program details and budget priorities.​

This development follows earlier controversies involving DOGE's handling of sensitive data. A whistleblower at the National Labor Relations Board reported that DOGE employees were granted high-level access to internal systems, potentially copying and removing sensitive data. Additionally, concerns have been raised about DOGE's rapid onboarding processes and potential insider threats.​

Democratic lawmakers have expressed alarm over these incidents, emphasizing the need to safeguard US nuclear secrets. Senator Edward Markey and Representative Donald Beyer have questioned the DOE about any potential access to classified nuclear information by DOGE staff, highlighting the risks posed by granting access to individuals without adequate security clearances. ​

By Vafa Guliyeva