A top U.S. government official, Sunday on CNN, made a curious argument defending Elon Musk having access to Americans’ personal data.

In an interview on CNN’s State of the Union, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was grilled by Dana Bash about Musk’s accessing Americans’ data housed inside DHS — following a Washington Post report asserting that Musk and his DOGE team have been granted access to FEMA’s sensitive disaster data — which includes personal information about tens of thousands of disaster victims.

“We’re working with [DOGE} at the President’s direction to find what we can do to make our department much more efficient,” Noem said. “This is essentially an audit of the federal government, which is which is very powerful and needs to have happen, that agency. And one of the things I’ve been very clear to the appropriators in the Senate and the House is please give me the authority to reprogram funds.”

“But that’s different from him having access to personal data that is housed—” Bash said, before Noem interjected.

“The president has authorized him to have access,” Noem said.

“And you feel comfortable?” Bash asked.

“Absolutely,” Noem replied.

From there, Noem launched into a baffling argument in favor of Musk’s access.

“I remember a time when Republicans were very careful about, and worried about the government, particularly unelected people, having access to our personal data,” Bash said.

“We can’t trust the government anymore,” replied top government official Kristi Noem.

“You are the government,” Bash promptly noted.

“Yes, that’s what I’m saying, is that the American people now are saying that we have had our personal information shared and and out there—” Noem said.

“But now Elon Musk has access to it,” Bash said.

“Yeah, but Elon Musk is part of the administration that is helping us identify where we can find savings and what we can do,” Noem said. “And he has gone through the processes to make sure that he has the authority.”

It’s unclear which processes Noem was referring to — as Musk was not subject to confirmation by the Senate, given DOGE’s status as an unofficial government agency.

“You’re totally comfortable with him?” Bash asked of Musk.

“I am today,” Noem replied. “By the work that he is doing, by identifying waste, fraud and abuse.”

Watch above, via CNN

The post DHS Sec Kristi Noem Says ‘We Can’t Trust the Government Anymore’ — CNN’s Dana Bash Reminds Her ‘You Are the Government’ first appeared on Mediaite.

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