By DAVID KLEPPER, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democratic lawmakers are demanding answers from Elon Musk about whether staffers at his Department of Government Efficiency have shared national security secrets over insecure communication channels.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Rep. Gerry Connolly of Virginia were joined by several other Democrats on a letter Thursday that asserts that reckless actions by Musk and Republican President Donald Trump’s cost-cutting initiative present a threat to national security by exposing secrets about America’s defense and intelligence agencies.

Elon Musk speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference, CPAC, at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center, Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025, in Oxon Hill, Md. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

Such information would present huge advantages to U.S. adversaries by giving them critical information about Washington’s defense priorities and the resources assigned to various missions and objectives, the lawmakers said.

Without going through the normal security procedures, staffers hired by Musk have gained access to a variety of sensitive government databases that contain private information about many Americans and their businesses, along with employment and operational information used by the government.

In many cases that includes classified information, such as the precise number of employees working for various intelligence agencies.

According to the letter, DOGE staffers in recent weeks have used unauthorized servers and unknown artificial intelligence programs to analyze and store the data, and shared the information over unsecure channels, raising the risk that a foreign nation, criminal group or inside threat could gain access or misuse the material.

Related Articles

Senate committee recommends Lori Chavez-DeRemer’s confirmation as Trump’s labor secretary

Trump plans tariffs on Mexico and Canada for March 4, while doubling existing 10% tariffs on China

USAID workers will be given 15 minutes to clear their workspaces as the agency gets dismantled

As Trump’s deadline to eliminate DEI nears, few schools openly rush to make changes

In lawsuit filing, Pentagon says transgender troops can’t serve unless they meet a warfighting need

The lawmakers also noted that despite assurances the DOGE website will not reveal information from intelligence agencies, material from the National Reconnaissance Office was easily found, the lawmakers said.

They expressed concerns that DOGE may be cutting spending and personnel without understanding the national security implications until it is too late. They pointed to a recent incident in which the government tried to bring back workers it had fired who worked on nuclear weapon programs.

“DOGE employees do not appear to fully understand much of the information to which they have been given unfettered access and given the cavalier and incompetent ways that they have handled this data, these individuals represent a clear threat to national security and the nation’s economy,” the lawmakers wrote.

In their letter, the Democrats demanded information about DOGE staffing and security protocols and how the data has been used, and potentially misused, since DOGE began operations earlier this year.

Musk and Trump have defended DOGE’s work, saying it’s led to billions in savings. DOGE and the White House did not immediately respond Thursday to questions seeking comment about the lawmakers’ letter.

By CATHY BUSSEWITZ, AP Business Writer

A Senate committee voted Thursday to advance the nomination of President Donald Trump’s choice to head the Department of Labor, one of the agencies named in lawsuits over moves by Elon Musk’s cost-cutting team to access federal data systems.

Members of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions voted 13-9 to recommend Lori Chavez-DeRemer ‘s confirmation by the full Senate.

Although the former Republican congresswoman from Oregon is widely viewed as comparatively pro-labor, some senators have said they would oppose all of Trump’s remaining Cabinet picks as a way to protest his administration’s far-reaching efforts to reshape the U.S. government.

“The next secretary of labor, the next secretary of education, the next secretary of housing, the next secretary of the Treasury is Elon Musk. Let us understand that reality and not play along with this charade,” Vermont independent Bernie Sanders, the committee’s ranking member, said before Thursday’s vote. “Does anyone here really think that any secretary of labor, any secretary of education, is going to make decisions by himself or herself?”

Lori Chavez-DeRemer, left arrives with Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., for a hearing of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee on her nomination for Secretary of Labor, Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

During her Feb. 19 confirmation hearing, Republican senators grilled Chavez-DeRemer about her past support in Congress for pro-union legislation. Sen. Bill Cassidy, the Louisiana Republican who chairs the committee, said business owners were concerned about Chavez-DeRemer’s co-sponsorship of the Protecting the Right to Organize Act.

The PRO Act, which did not come up for a vote during her one term, would have made it easier for workers to unionize and penalized employers who interfered with that activity. When Cassidy asked if Chavez-DeRemer still supported the legislation, she declined to give a yes or no answer.

“I do not believe the secretary of labor should write the laws. It would be up to Congress to write the law,” she said. Later in the hearing, she said she supported state “right to work” laws, which allow employees to refuse to join a union in their workplace.

The response must have satisfied Republicans on the committee. “Representative Chavez-DeRemer’s nomination has the support of unions and businesses. If confirmed, she has the opportunity to bring these two groups together to secure a better future for all,” Cassidy said before the committee’s vote of approval.

Related Articles

Trump plans tariffs on Mexico and Canada for March 4, while doubling existing 10% tariffs on China

USAID workers will be given 15 minutes to clear their workspaces as the agency gets dismantled

As Trump’s deadline to eliminate DEI nears, few schools openly rush to make changes

In lawsuit filing, Pentagon says transgender troops can’t serve unless they meet a warfighting need

Supreme Court, for now, blocks order for Trump administration to release billions in US foreign aid

The Department of Labor has nearly 16,000 full-time employees and a proposed budget of $13.9 billion in fiscal year 2025. If confirmed, Chavez-DeRemer would preside over that budget and workforce. She would also set priorities related to wages, workplace health and safety, and employees’ rights to organize, as well as employers’ rights to fire workers.

A group of labor unions and 14 Democratic states filed separate lawsuits this month to keep Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency from accessing Labor Department data systems, which contain medical and financial records of millions of Americans, including those who have filed safety complaints about their employers.

During Chavez-DeRemer’s confirmation hearing, Democrats on the Health, Education, Labor & Pensions committee tried to find out where her allegiances would lie. They questioned whether she would continue to be an advocate for workers while serving in an administration that is slashing the scope and size of the federal workforce, including through mass layoffs.

Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., asked if Chavez-DeRemer would deny Musk or his representatives access to information about competitors or labor violations at the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Musk’s companies are the subject of several OSHA investigations.

She said the decision belonged to Trump. “I work for the president of the United States, if confirmed, and I will serve at the pleasure of the president on this issue,” she said.

Allianz Field offered eight food items during its media tasting event at the stadium on Wednesday and the refocused menu leans into Minnesota’s heritage.

“We are transitioning a little bit to be more representative of where we are and what we are doing up here,” said second-year chef and St. Clair, Minn., native Adam Reitsma.

After his first season at Allianz Field, Reitsma took into account feedback from fans.

“Everyone’s saying they are concerned about price; they are concerned about quantity,” he said. “And I really had to put my head down and figure out how I can represent that aspect. It’s going back and looking at something simple.”

Here are some of the highlights:

Walleye Sandwich

Breaded and fried walleye, shredded cabbage slaw, tartar sauce and egg bun. Location: Grand Casino Brew Hall

“A really great coleslaw with sesame seed and a really light vinaigrette,” Reitsma said.

Swedish meatball sub

Swedish meatballs in a nutmeg cream sauce with pickles and fresh dill on a hoagie roll. Locations: The Hungry Loon in Sections 10, 13, 22, 34

Harkening to Minnesota’s Nordic culture, Reitsma wanted to “try to bring some of those flavor profiles to our guests.”

Pressed broccolini sandwich

Broccolini rolled in a basil pesto sauce with fresh mozzarella on a telerà roll. Locations: Street Fair portable Section 34

Reitsma picked this vegetarian option for most underrated offering this season. “Really good food doesn’t have to be a whole lot of nuts and bolts and everything in between,” he said. “If you do food simply and correctly, it will do the work for you.”

Shore Lunch

Breaded and fried walleye, crispy hand-cut fries, Texas toast, ear of corn, tartar sauce, lemon wedge. Location: Grand Casino Brew Hall

Reitsma looks at the delicate care put into preparing the potatoes as the star of this product. “We think of up at Mille Lacs, Lake of the Woods; that’s Minnesota and that is what we are here to represent,” Reitsma said.

Other selected offerings

Bibigo vegetable spring roll with teriyaki sauce, cilantro and onion comes in after success Allianz Field had with a dumpling product. …  Fans have been calling for a return of bigger pizza slices and that will be fulfilled this year with their offerings from Red Baron, Reitsma said. … Roots for the Home Team, a local non-profit in St. Paul, is offering a rotation of five salads/wraps. … Kramarczuk’s Cheddar Brat with grilled onion and grilled sauerkraut remains a juicy stadium staple. … Allianz Field will continue its “Guest Chef” program, starting off with Minneapolis Mexican restaurant Oro by Nixta for Saturday’s home opener against CF Montreal.

By STEPHEN McGRATH and ANDREEA ALEXANDRU, Associated Press

BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — Influencer brothers Andrew and Tristan Tate, who are charged with human trafficking in Romania, left for the U.S. after authorities lifted travel restrictions imposed as part of the case, an official said Thursday.

The brothers — who are dual U.S.-British citizens and have millions of online followers — were arrested in late 2022 and formally indicted last year on charges they participated in a criminal ring that lured women to Romania, where they were sexually exploited. Andrew Tate was also charged with rape. They deny the allegations.

FILE – Andrew Tate gestures, next to his brother Tristan, outside the Bucharest Tribunal in Bucharest, Romania, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)

In December, a court ruled that the case couldn’t go to trial because of multiple legal and procedural irregularities on the part of the prosecutors. The case, however, remained open, and there is also another ongoing investigation against them in Romania.

Romania’s anti-organized crime agency, DIICOT, said in a statement Thursday that prosecutors approved a request to change the travel restrictions on the Tates, but didn’t say who made the request.

The brothers are still required to appear before judicial authorities when summoned. “The defendants have been warned that deliberately violating these obligations may result in judicial control being replaced with a stricter deprivation of liberty measure,” the statement said.

Andrew Tate, 38, a former professional kickboxer and self-described misogynist who has amassed more than 10 million followers on X, has repeatedly claimed that prosecutors in Romania have no evidence against him and that there is a political conspiracy to silence him. He and Tristan Tate, 36, are vocal supporters of U.S. President Donald Trump.

The Tates’ departure came after Foreign Minister Emil Hurezeanu said this month that an official in the Trump administration expressed interest in the brothers’ case at the Munich Security Conference. The minister insisted no pressure was applied to lift restrictions on the Tates after a Financial Times report on the meeting caused a stir in Romania.

The Bucharest Court of Appeal’s decision that the Tate case could not proceed was a huge setback for DIICOT, but it didn’t mean the defendants could walk free, and the case hasn’t been closed.

Last August, DIICOT also launched a second case against the brothers, investigating allegations of human trafficking, the trafficking of minors, sexual intercourse with a minor, influencing statements and money laundering. They have denied those charges as well.

The Tate brothers’ legal battles aren’t limited to Romania.

Late last year, a U.K. court ruled that police can seize more than $3.3 million to cover years of unpaid taxes from the pair and freeze some of their accounts. Andrew Tate called it “outright theft” and said it was “a coordinated attack on anyone who dares to challenge the system.”

In March, the Tate brothers appeared at the Bucharest Court of Appeal in a separate case after U.K. authorities issued arrest warrants over allegations of sexual aggression in a case dating back to 2012-2015.

The appeals court granted the U.K. request to extradite the Tates, but only after legal proceedings in Romania have concluded.

McGrath reported from Sighisoara, Romania.