Supreme Court restores DOGE’s access to sensitive Social Security data

(CNN) — The Supreme Court on Friday lifted a lower court order blocking the Social Security Administration from granting access to the agency’s sensitive data to affiliates of the Department of Government Efficiency.

The court separately paused a lower court’s order that required DOGE to turn over documents as part of a lawsuit claiming the entity, like other government agencies, should be subject to federal records requests.

The ruling, a win for the Trump administration, means that DOGE will be able to access data on millions of Americans as part of what it has described as an effort to rout out fraud and “modernize outdated systems,” but that critics say appears to be a fishing expedition.

“We conclude that, under the present circumstances, SSA may proceed to afford members of the