‘More Fake News’: Trump Admin Fires Back At Anon Sources Claiming DOGE Uses AI To Spy On Bureaucrats

Steve Jurvetson/Creative Commons/Flickr

The Trump administration is disputing claims from anonymous sources that Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is using artificial intelligence to surveil Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) communications.

The unnamed sources were cited in a Tuesday Reuters report, and claimed DOGE was monitoring federal agency messages for anti-Trump sentiment, specifically within the EPA. The sources also alleged Musk’s team had bypassed standard vetting procedures and was using encrypted apps like Signal, potentially skirting federal transparency laws.

“More fake news and poor sourcing from Reuters. Sad!” Taylor Rogers, a White House spokeswoman, told the Daily Caller News Foundation.

Wow!

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 17, 2025

The EPA separately pushed back, saying the agency “is not using AI as it makes personnel decisions in concert with DOGE,” though it acknowledged it is exploring AI for basic administrative improvements in a statement to the DCNF. The agency also emphasized that President Donald Trump and EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin remain aligned on cutting waste and reorienting EPA operations around taxpayer savings and “organizational improvement.”

“Compared to 2024, the total amount spent year over year at EPA will deliver significant efficiencies to American taxpayers by cutting wasteful grants, reassessing the agency’s real estate footprint, and delivering organizational improvements to the personnel structure,” the EPA spokesperson said. “In his first term, President Trump advanced conservation and environmental stewardship while promoting economic growth for families across the country and will continue to do so this term.”

Reuters cited two sources who claimed DOGE was flagging internal EPA communications critical of Trump’s agenda and accused Musk’s tech team of operating under extreme secrecy. The sources further claimed DOGE personnel have used disappearing-message functions on Signal and “heavily deployed” Grok, the Musk-owned AI language model, in violation of records laws. Reuters admitted it couldn’t substantiate how Grok was allegedly being used.

The report comes amid a steady drumbeat of corporate media assaults on DOGE, with outlets accusing the efficiency task force of secrecy, unconstitutionally handling its mass layoffs and portraying its efforts as deeply unpopular with the American public.

The Biden-era EPA saw a surge in DEI and “environmental justice” grants as well as climate initiatives overseas, some of which have been rolled back under the Trump administration. DOGE’s work to unwind those programs has drawn fire from both activist groups and civil service unions.

Musk has not publicly addressed Reuters’ report. The outlet did not respond to the DCNF’s request for comment.