In a New York Times op-ed, five former Treasury secretaries criticized recent actions by the Trump administration and Elon Musk's role in federal payment systems. They warned that the entry of Musk's Department of Government Efficiency could jeopardize sensitive data and undermine nonpartisan roles in the Treasury. The ex-secretaries emphasized that political control over federal payments poses severe constitutional risks and could potentially lead to financial defaults that harm citizens who rely on timely disbursements. Dueling narratives clash between former officials and current advisers over the integrity of financial operations.