Elon Musk calls for judge’s impeachment over DOGE roadblocks: ‘A corrupt judge protecting corruption’

Elon Musk, SpaceX and Tesla CEO, has called for the impeachment of judges who have impeded the Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) efforts to audit federal spending. His criticism follows a temporary restraining order issued by US District Judge Paul Engelmayer, preventing DOGE from accessing the Treasury Department’s payment systems.

“A corrupt judge protecting corruption. “He needs to be impeached NOW!,” Musk posted on Sunday (February 9) in response to Engelmayer’s ruling.

Judicial block on DOGE’s access to Treasury data

The legal battle began after New York Attorney General Letitia James and 18 other Democratic state attorneys general filed a lawsuit arguing that DOGE’s access to Treasury data exceeded statutory authority. In response, Engelmayer, an Obama appointee, issued an emergency order barring DOGE from further access until the case is resolved.

“This ruling is absolutely insane!” Musk fumed on social media. “How on Earth are we supposed to stop fraud and waste of taxpayer money without looking at how money is spent? That’s literally impossible! Something super shady is going on to protect scammers.”

Engelmayer cited concerns about “irreparable harm” and potential leaks of sensitive government financial data. He further ruled that anyone who had already accessed the data must “destroy any and all copies of material downloaded from the Treasury Department’s records and systems.”

Musk’s supporters rally against the judiciary

Musk’s frustration gained traction among conservatives, including Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), who claimed, “This has the feel of a coup—not a military coup, but a judicial one.”

In response to a post by an X user asking if it was time to discuss impeaching judges, Musk simply replied, “It’s time.”

Other legal setbacks for DOGE

The ruling is the latest in a string of judicial roadblocks for the Trump administration’s push to overhaul federal spending oversight. On Friday (February 7), US District Judge Carl Nichols temporarily halted a plan to place 2,200 employees at the US Agency for International Development (USAID) on administrative leave.

Also, last week, another judge blocked a proposed buyout plan that would have allowed 2.3 million federal employees to resign with compensation through September.

Democrats push back against DOGE’s expansion

Democratic officials have voiced alarm over DOGE’s rapid expansion of authority, particularly its direct access to Treasury systems handling trillions of dollars in transactions annually. They argue that unchecked power over such data could be exploited for political purposes.

Meanwhile, Musk and his allies contend that transparency is key to eliminating government waste and inefficiency.