U.S. Energy Department Grants IT Access Amid Internal Concerns

According to Odaily, U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright has granted a representative from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Elon Musk, access to the Energy Department's IT systems. This decision was made on Wednesday despite opposition from the department's general counsel and members of the Chief Information Office. The representative, Luke Farritor, a 23-year-old former SpaceX intern, was given access without undergoing the standard background checks required for such permissions. One source indicated that the general counsel and Chief Information Office members expressed concerns, stating that granting Farritor access was a "bad idea" due to the lack of necessary security clearances. Farritor's access includes basic IT functions such as email and Microsoft 365. The Chief Information Office primarily handles IT and cybersecurity for the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), providing basic internet services and connectivity for its headquarters. However, it does not manage IT systems for the nuclear agency laboratories that control the national nuclear stockpile.