A federal judge on Wednesday looked to pinpoint the exact duties of Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) staffers during a hearing over whether to cut off their unfettered access to troves of sensitive personal data.

U.S. District Judge Deborah Boardman questioned the Justice Department over the specific “purposes or tasks” assigned to DOGE workers, attempting to determine whether their far-reaching access is warranted.

“This is so new — I don’t know what the DOGE people’s purposes or tasks are,” Boardman said. “I’m trying to figure that out.”

President Trump established DOGE in a Jan. 20 executive order. Though billionaire tech mogul Elon Musk is said to be leading its sweeping cost-cutting efforts, the White House said in court filings that Musk is technically not part of DOGE, instead serving as a senior advisor to the president.

Emily Hall, a Justice Department lawyer, contended that Trump’s order directing DOGE to “maximize governmental efficiency and productivity” essentially amounts to a job description.

“That couldn’t be more broad,” Boardman said.

“The president is looking to........

© The Hill