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By Theo Burman
Live News Reporter
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Elon Musk has called for the government's use of classified information to be reworked, after finding the system to be a barrier to effective communication.
The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) head said that "too much information is made classified," and suggested that reducing the system would make bureaucracy more efficient.
Newsweek contacted Musk through Twitter via email for comment on this story.
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Why It Matters
Elon Musk has been the instigator of some of President Donald Trump's most unconventional reforms, with DOGE being the driving force behind the dismantling of USAID and gaining access to sensitive Treasury information.
Musk's word carries a lot of weight in the Oval Office, so his statements on security clearance could be indicative of future policy.
What to Know
Early on Friday, Musk complained that security classifications were a frustration to his work, as there was too much information that needed to be shared that had a high classification.
"I've had a top-secret clearance for many years and have clearances that themselves are classified," Musk wrote on X (formerly Twitter). "That said, FAR too much information is made 'classified'. If something is easily found online or patently obvious, it should NOT be classified. This impedes effective communication within the government."
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Musk previously pushed for the Treasury to grant him and other engineers at DOGE access to the Treasury's government payment system, which includes information on Social Security checks and tax refunds.
However, it was reported that DOGE employees had to pass security clearances before handling any of the data in a "read-only" format.
Musk's brief is to identify new ways for the Trump administration to reduce federal spending. He has had a high level of security clearance before, due to his contracts with the government on high-impact technologies like rocket construction via SpaceX, but this administration marks the first time he is able to directly influence policy.
What People Are Saying
In a February 9 interview with Fox News, Donald Trump said with regard to Musk**:** "I don't know if it's kickbacks or what's going on, but I ran on this, and the people want me to find it, and I've had a great help with Elon Musk, who's been terrific.
"I'm going to tell him, very soon, like, maybe in 24 hours, to go check through the Department of Education. He's going to find the same thing. Then I'm going to go to the military, let's check the military. We're going to find billions, hundreds of billions of dollars of fraud and abuse, the people elected me on that."
What Happens Next
Trump hasn't made any statement on changing the classification system for government information, but he clearly listens to Musk.
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