AI ‘Watching’ Federal Workers Critical of Trump, Musk?

Federal employees are raising concerns about alleged AI surveillance monitoring their communications for negative sentiments regarding Donald Trump and Elon Musk. This comes amid claims of eroding oversight within government agencies.

According to insiders, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), established to cut federal spending, is now under scrutiny for its use of AI to monitor internal communications. Reports suggest that tools are being used to scan Microsoft Teams chats and emails for language deemed hostile to Trump or Musk.

“We have been told they are looking for anti-Trump or anti-Musk language,” a source familiar with the EPA’s internal guidance stated.

While the EPA acknowledged exploring AI for “optimizing agency functions,” they deny using it for personnel decisions. However, the agency has seen significant changes, including a large number of workers placed on leave and substantial budget cuts.

Ethics experts warn that this raises serious concerns about free speech and potential political intimidation within federal institutions.

Secrecy surrounds DOGE’s operations, with staff reportedly using encrypted messaging apps like Signal, potentially violating federal record-keeping laws. Concerns have also been raised about the use of shared Google Docs for official documents, bypassing traditional vetting procedures.

Furthermore, after Elon Musk’s team took over the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), access to sensitive data on millions of federal employees was restricted, raising further questions.

Insiders claim that DOGE heavily utilizes Musk’s AI chatbot, Grok, as part of its cost-cutting initiatives. However, the exact functions of Grok within government systems remain unclear.

While the Trump administration argues that DOGE is exempt from public records laws, a federal judge has ordered the department to release records to a watchdog group.

Critics argue that DOGE’s actions represent a dangerous erosion of transparency, legal norms, and the rights of civil servants, with new technologies being weaponized to pursue ideological goals.

“This isn’t just about efficiency,” said Kathleen Clark, a professor at Washington University in St. Louis. “This is about power—who has it, who watches, and who gets watched.”