Democratic lawmaker tells Cuomo she's leaving DOGE caucus

Rep. Val Hoyle (D-Ore.) said Thursday that she is leaving the House Delivering Outstanding Government Efficiency (DOGE) Caucus due to frustration with tech billionaire Elon Musk and his perceived access to sensitive data.

“Fundamentally, I don’t see how we can do this work when Elon Musk is blowing things up," Hoyle said in an interview with NewsNation's Chris Cuomo. "It’s like trying to replace your roof when someone is throwing dynamite through the window into your living room."

“It’s just not possible…So, I’m leaving the DOGE Caucus," she continued. "I will continue to do the work to find efficiencies, but right now, I just don’t think it’s possible with what’s happening."

The Oregon Democrat added, "President Trump handed over the keys to the White House, to the Treasury, to government, to an unelected billionaire, and you know, it's, quite frankly, very disturbing."

President Trump appointed Musk to lead a new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), an advisory group seeking to cut government spending after his election win against former Vice President Harris in November. The Tesla CEO has since vowed to cut roughly $2 trillion in "wasteful" spending.

In recent days, Musk has been labeled a "special government employee" and his DOGE was granted access to the Treasury Department's payments systems. The move prompted a lawsuit and led to the Justice Department putting limits on that access.

“I joined the DOGE Caucus to ensure there was a voice in the room for working people and to protect Americans’ earned benefits, while also making the government more streamlined and efficient," Hoyle wrote in a press release. "I believe that many of my colleagues joined the caucus for the same reason and are operating in good faith."

“However, it is impossible for us to do that important work when unelected billionaire Elon Musk and his lackeys are set on burning down the government — and the law — to line his own pockets and rip off Americans across the country who depend on government services to live with dignity," the Oregon Democrat added.

Senate Democrats have also taken issue with the probe initiating an effort to have the Government Accountability Office investigate Musk.

“From risking the delivery of Social Security payments, to corruptly accessing Americans’ personal data at the Department of Treasury, and using intimidation tactics to terrorize the hard-working public servants who deliver these services, it is apparent that he sees DOGE’s work is to find funds to give tax breaks for billionaires at the expense of working people, not about doing right by them," Hoyle said of Musk’s leadership. "As a result, I have made the decision to leave the DOGE Caucus."

While the public has also raised concerns with the liability of the administration giving Musk unchecked power, Trump has assured reporters that he’s the one in control.

“He’s got access only to letting people go that he thinks are no good, if we agree with him and it’s only if we agree with him,” Trump said Monday from the Oval Office, adding that the tech billionaire “can’t do and won’t do anything without our approval.”

“We’ll give him the approval when appropriate, where not appropriate, we won’t. But he reports in, and it’s something that he feels very strongly about,” the president continued. “If there’s conflict, then we won’t let him get near it.”

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