A look at six engineers with Elon Musk and Peter Thiel ties, between 19 and 24 years old, playing key DOGE roles, as Musk seizes control of US infrastructure

Engineers between 19 and 24, most linked to Musk's companies, are playing a key role as he seizes control of federal infrastructure.

Wired 2025-02-03 Vittoria Elliott

Context & Ripple Effects

The report follows an earlier recruitment push in which young founders and coders were being encouraged to join DOGE, with the organization reportedly seeking full-time Washington hires. This account shows that pipeline moving from applicants to operational roles through a recruitment drive for young technical talent.

It matters because the reported engineers combine unusually junior career stages with ties to Musk- and Thiel-associated companies, placing questions of access, technical authority, and accountability at the center of DOGE's federal work.

First-order effects

The six engineers gain direct influence over work involving federal infrastructure, while the agencies and systems they touch must accommodate a new, politically connected technical cohort.
Musk- and Thiel-linked networks obtain a more immediate operational presence in DOGE through personnel rather than only external commercial relationships.

Second-order effects

Federal technology leaders and career staff face stronger pressure to define access controls, supervision, and decision rights for engineers working on sensitive systems.
The placement model can widen the pipeline from startup-linked technical networks into government roles; related reporting later showed DOGE engineers moving onto CISA staff, including two DOGE engineers joining CISA.

Third-order effects

If repeated across agencies, this could shift federal technology governance toward network-driven deployment of engineers, making formal conflict-of-interest rules and technical oversight more consequential.
The durable question is whether government can absorb fast-moving private-sector technical talent without concentrating infrastructure authority in a small set of aligned commercial and political networks.

The trend: DOGE is one instance of forward-deployed technical talent becoming a channel through which private technology networks seek operational influence inside government.

Discussion

@markgongloff Mark Gongloff on bluesky
If you were purposefully trying to sabotage an entire nation, one effective strategy would be to send a team of tech bros to seize the apparatus of government while also launching trade wars with your neighbors and allies — www.washingtonpost.com/politics/ 202...
@dbrody David Brody on bluesky
It appears Musk's minions may have breached a SCIF without security clearances or legal authority. That would be a federal crime. It wouldn't matter if they were federal employees. Musk allegedly conspired with them and aided and abetted them, even if he wasn't physically pres…
@donmoyn Don Moynihan on bluesky
Big national media outlet still failing. — Headlines suggest some dispute over data access at US AID. — *Not connecting the dots with other DOGE moves. — *Not conveying illegality. — *Not communicating constitutional crisis. [embedded post]
@donmoyn Don Moynihan on bluesky
The fact that Musk is claiming that he is combating illegal actions reminds us that legality *does* matter. — The fact that he is the one engaged in illegal actions needs to be broadcast consistently and loudly. — bsky.app/profile/itai... [embedded post]
@criminalerin Erin Fogg on bluesky
In 2020 the local cops scoured our social media to match our faces to our profile pics and names, they dug into our socials so hard that the prosecutor's office took people off child support enforcement to dig, all because we didn't disappear into a fine mist when the cops gassed…
@aoc Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on bluesky
Yes. While there are absolutely things Democrats can and must do to slow, obstruct, etc, GOP hold both House and Senate majorities, severely limiting our options. — Johnson and Thune are handing over the own keys and relinquishing their own power. Even for the cynics this sho…
@rayosunlong Thomas Long on bluesky
Damn. Wired is all over this. @rollingstone.com ya'll need to play catchup. — www.wired.com/story/elon-m...
@criminalerin Erin Fogg on bluesky
Now, with alt text, to ensure everyone fully understands exactly what we're dealing with with the 19-yo Canadian calling himself Big Balls who, along with a few other nerds, seem to have had exclusive control over the United States Treasury Department since Friday [embedded post]
@martinsfp @martinsfp on bluesky
Grim thread. It really is sad to see the US start to fall apart so quickly [embedded post]
@martinpagh Martin Pagh Ludvigsen on bluesky
Revenge of the incels
@tyleraking.com Tyler King on bluesky
“Meritocracy.” [embedded post]
@markwelch Mark Welch on bluesky
Musk has wanted to own and control a global payment system for decades. What could go wrong? [embedded post]
@jeffjarvis @jeffjarvis on bluesky
I repeat: a coup. [embedded post]
@brendannyhan Brendan Nyhan on bluesky
This is illegal. These are crimes! [embedded post]
@lefwin @lefwin on bluesky
This would be a crime if Trump's Justice Department wasn't rigged.This is a coup!
@newrepublic.com @newrepublic.com on bluesky
We're witnessing a broad assault on that genuinely meritocratic achievement, the civil service—one that could enable right-wing elites to corruptly loot the place, or install a highly “personalist” government marked above all by loyalty to Trump himself, or some combination of th…
@dell Dell Cameron on bluesky
Here's the roster of youths carrying out Elon Musk's government takeover. Recent high school grads and interns from SpaceX, Palantir, Meta, Neuralink, and xAI, and an engineer for a high-frequency trading firm.
@kayelles Kaye on bluesky
A nineteen year old is not an Engineer. You meant to say that Musk brought along a group of brainwashed hackers to infiltrate the Treasury, no?
@flglchicago Kurt on bluesky
Code name: The Flying Monkeys
@billthepony @billthepony on bluesky
Merit hires, no doubt. — A lot of life to get chewed up by a long prison sentence... [embedded post]
@karlbode.com Karl Bode on bluesky
Do you like ayn rand and crypto, and think humanities are pointless? you're hired [embedded post]
@timmarchman Tim Marchman on bluesky
NEW: WIRED has identified six young men—all apparently between the ages of 19 and 24, according to public databases, their online presences, and other records—who have little to no government experience and are now playing critical roles in Musk's DOGE project. By @telliotter.bs…
@nycsouthpaw @nycsouthpaw on bluesky
We all like to yell at the Democrats, but it's really Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune who are letting Elon Musk and his faceless goon squad make a mockery of their power as leaders of a coequal branch without uttering a peep or lifting a finger.
@hcrichardson Heather Cox Richardson on bluesky
The word for this is “coup.” [embedded post]
@chloeneast Chloe N East on bluesky
Want to know how the authoritarian take over we are watching actually works? — Read this thread. — It's happening using pre existing government bureaucracy. [embedded post]
@johnhatchard John ‘RockiT’ Hatchard on bluesky
Elon Musk's minions—from trusted sidekicks to random college students and former Musk company interns—have taken over the General Services Administration, a critical government agency that manages federal offices and technology. — archive.is/iw8K1
@gstarr Graham Starr on bluesky
Musk takes over government systems, payments, and personnel data. — at OPM: www.reuters.com/world/us/mus... at Treasury: www.nytimes.com/2025/02/01/u... His staff includes recent high school graduates (www.wired.com/story/elon-m...) and are shutting down US programs unilatera…
@epopppp Beth Popp Berman on bluesky
Of course it will lead to corruption. But it is also deeply, deeply authoritarian. — And I'm not even getting into the other big danger, which is permanently breaking vital government functions—air traffic control, Medicare provision, CDC disease tracking—with indiscriminate t…
@epopppp Beth Popp Berman on bluesky
There is a reason that the actual federal faucet has always been controlled by apolitical bureaucrats. — Having a president (or an unelected billionaire) with direct, granular control of a quarter of all U.S. spending is power beyond the Founders' wildest dreams. 10/x
@epopppp Beth Popp Berman on bluesky
And schools are just one example. — Want to end resistance from blue states who won't facilitate sending immigrants to Guantanamo? We're turning off Social Security payments to your residents until your police start to comply with ICE. 9/x
@epopppp Beth Popp Berman on bluesky
But if you take control of the federal spigot —what was previously apolitical plumbing—you can do just that. — You don't need to move a whole bureaucracy or deal with lawyers. Elon and his team just turn it off. Law doesn't play into it at all. 8/x
@epopppp Beth Popp Berman on bluesky
I want to spell out the basic reason it's so dangerous for Elon to have control of the U.S. payments system. It may seem like a technical matter, but the dynamics are simple. 1/x
@dangillmor@mastodon.social Dan Gillmor on mastodon
Wired magazine is making big US news orgs look stupid and incompetent. Wired understands what's at stake in the Musk-led database/payment systems takeovers — and it's doing the reporting to tell the public what's going on. Example: — https://www.wired.com/... Reuters is also…
@mastodonmigration@mastodon.online @mastodonmigration@mastodon.online on mastodon
@Techmeme — Yikes!!! — Remember when you were in your early 20s. Recall the vast gulf between hubris and competence, and try to imagine what can possibly go wrong with their hands on the controls of space ship earth?
@bruno_j_navarro@mastodon.social Bruno J. Navarro on mastodon
The engineers are Akash Bobba, Edward Coristine, Luke Farritor, Gautier Cole Killian, Gavin Kliger, and Ethan Shaotran. None have responded to requests for comment from WIRED. Representatives from OPM, GSA, and DOGE did not respond to requests for comment. https://www.wired.com…
@zackwhittaker@mastodon.social Zack Whittaker on mastodon
New: Elon Musk's DOGE team was granted “full access” to sensitive Treasury payment systems that control trillions of dollars in payments to Americans, including Social Security checks and tax refunds. — Sen. Ron Wyden said Musk's access poses a “national security risk.” …
@dangillmor@mastodon.social Dan Gillmor on mastodon
Not only does the NY Times downplay the significance of Musk taking control of the US government's data/financial systems, it doesn't have the courtesy to give a hat tip to the Washington Post, which broke the part of the story the Times is catching up on here. — [image]
@adam_kinzinger Adam Kinzinger on threads
I don't love lawsuits at all, but in this case the admin needs buried in them
@adam_kinzinger Adam Kinzinger on threads
Musk's allies were granted access to the U.S. Treasury payment system. Treasury stays silent. White House stays silent. Why the secrecy? Time for an explanation and full transparency.
@dakotawillink Dakota Willink on threads
Elon Musk has essentially hacked the U.S. Treasury and Social Security. He now has full access to these systems without any legal authority. He's also been given access to classified documents without having the security clearance—and one of his team leads is a 2024 high school…
@mark_r_vickers Mark Vickers on threads
I doubt most people understand what a big deal this is. Would you trust Musk to handle the personnel files of 2 million civilian employees? He can't even run his own X account professionally.
@anildash Anil Dash on threads
A unelected Nazi sympathizer who could not get a top-level security clearance, and who was under investigation for violating the clearance he *did* have, is now in control of all federal spending and has access to everyone's Social Security Number, tax returns & federal records. …
@tominchicago Tom Skallas on threads
Does Elon Musk now possess our nation's highest level of security clearance -Top Secret (TS) with Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) and Special Access Programs (SAP)?
@tominchicago Tom Skallas on threads
Stay calm, everyone. Elon Musk and Mike Flynn are handling things.
@yannlecun Yann LeCun on threads
8000 government websites taken down. Data on public health, scientific research, medical research, crime....gone. Taking down reliable sources of information to better disinform the public?
@attorneyryan @attorneyryan on threads
Elon Musk should NOT be controlling the U.S. Treasury this is insane. It's insane.
@deedydas Deedy on x
Wild things are happening at the DOGE [image]
@eladgil Elad Gil on x
I would happily hire any of these people once they are done with public service Trained in the art of analytically driven GSD in the face of adversity, hatred, while having a huge impact Ultimate training for startups taking on incumbents [image]
@rsg Bobby Goodlatte on x
Young engineers are exactly what our sclerotic bureaucracies need These organizations are so unattractive to young ambitious people today Seniority & the idea of “paying your dues” is baked into their DNA. That needs to change if we want talented people to go into government [ima…
@ratalt64 Bill Bartley on x
@mattyglesias The signs were there [image]
@jeremotographs Jeremy Lindenfeld on x
WIRED has identified 6 of Elon Musk's lackeys in his ongoing illegal efforts to take control of the government. They are: - Akash Bobba - Edward Coristine - Luke Farritor - Gautier Cole Killian - Gavin Kliger - Ethan Shaotran https://www.wired.com/...
@mrspanstreppon @mrspanstreppon on x
Wired w the names of six young men working for Musk at OPM. Two came from Theil's outfit. https://www.wired.com/...
@skooks @skooks on x
someone should probably do something about this https://www.wired.com/... [image]
@ninaburleigh Nina Burleigh on x
Great @wired scoop by @telliotter names 6 bros, age 19 to 24, dispatched from the Musk/Thiel surveillance blob to meddle with the $6 trillion U.S. paycheck system. https://www.wired.com/...
@mattyglesias Matthew Yglesias on x
This sounds a little like we are re-importing the Coalition Provisional Authority experience from Baghdad to DC. https://www.wired.com/...
@mrspanstreppon @mrspanstreppon on x
Oh look. Bari Weiss profiled one of the young men, Luke Farritor.... https://www.thefp.com/...
@_caaroline__ Caroline on x
There's no way Elon Musk and his band of inexperienced teenaged engineers (Akash Bobba, Edward Coristine, Luke Farritor, Gautier Cole Killian, Gavin Kliger, and Ethan Shaotran) don't end up in federal prison when this is all over https://www.wired.com/...
@geiger_capital @geiger_capital on x
Elon really has his best cracked engineers sleeping in the Eisenhower Building, trying to put some startup energy into the government. Incredible. We needed this. [image]
@jengriffinfnc Jennifer Griffin on x
Fox News has learned 50 senior USAID staff were placed on administrative leave then all staff were subjected to a gag order (no communication with anyone outside the agency without approval) then the removal of signage from HQ then the DOGE team took over the computer systems.
@autismcapital @autismcapital on x
🚨ELON MUSK: “The more I've gotten to know President Trump, the more I like the guy. Frankly, I love him.”
@mehdirhasan Mehdi Hasan on x
A private citizen is invading and shutting down government departments. The courts and Congress are awol. If this isn't a constitutional crisis, and oligarchy gone wild, then I don't know what is.
@jason @jason on x
STOP THE SPEND! Like everyone, I have no idea what we've been funding with these NGOs... but I'm here for the data nerds unraveling it all & letting us know! There will be chaos & some important programs I personally like might get paused or deleted, but as a country we're
@whstancil Will Stancil on x
This is a constitutional crisis. The richest man on earth has illegally obtained physical access to the US government payment systems and is now shutting down funding to any recipient he personally dislikes. This is money authorized by Congress, he is usurping the Constitution. […
@aoc Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on x
If this operation is so legit, why can't those involved get a proper security clearance? Offer transparency to the American people? This is a plutocratic coup. If you want the power, run for office and be chosen by the people. Short of that, this is an exercise in vigilantism.
@jonfavs Jon Favreau on x
This isn't how you talk when you're just looking to cut waste and make government more efficient [image]
@timsweeneyepic Tim Sweeney on x
Love it or hate it, they're definitely putting the experiment back into what George Washington called “the experiment entrusted to the hands of the American people”
@olegkostour Oleg Kostour on x
@chamath No, she's right man. You shouldn't be able to buy your way into getting access to classified data with national secrets. Why can't rich people understand that not everything is on the menu.
@aoc Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on x
This is a five alarm fire. The people elected Donald Trump to be President - not Elon Musk. Having an unelected billionaire, with his own foreign debts and motives, raiding US classified information is a grave threat to national security. This should not be a partisan issue.
@bill_kerrrrr Bill Kerr on x
@chamath Chamath, with all due respect you have Elon coloured glasses on mate. We all can and should be astonished by Elon's entrepreneurial feats. But it's also true that in no functioning Democracy, should an unelected official, who also happens to be the richest person in the …
@elonmusk Elon Musk on x
Not many Spartans are needed to win battles
@mattyglesias Matthew Yglesias on x
The continuing resolution funding the government expires literally in six weeks, there is absolutely nothing stopping Republicans from writing an appropriations bill that changes spending levels rather than lawlessly trying to block payment of funds Congress already passed.
@john_hudson John Hudson on x
NEW: USAID staff told headquarters will be closed today as Elon Musk declares he has Trump's support to shut the agency down [image]
@elonmusk Elon Musk on x
Career Treasury officials are breaking the law every hour of every day by approving payments that are fraudulent or do not match the funding laws passed by Congress. This needs to stop NOW! https://x.com/...
@wired @wired on x
Workers at GSA and Technology Transformation Services (TTS) have been summoned into what one source called “sneak attack” meetings to discuss their code and projects with total strangers—some quite young: https://www.wired.com/...
@chamath Chamath Palihapitiya on x
You are wrong. The five alarm fire will happen AFTER the WH reveals some of the waste, fraud and corruption this team uncovers. This will be Iran Contra on steroids. I'd buckle up.
@joshrogin Josh Rogin on x
Elon and his minions are parroting and promoting smears on NED that were literally spread by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China. Does President Trump know Musk is pushing Chinese propaganda? Look for yourself: https://www.fmprc.gov.cn/...
@aoc Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on x
If you want to start with waste, start with Elon's defense contracts at the Pentagon. In fact, we should start with transparency around defense contracts in general, which take up an enormous sum of public funds. But they won't do that, will they?
@wired @wired on x
We've also been tracking more former Musk employees who have infiltrated the Government Services Administration: https://www.wired.com/...
@russellbrandom Russell Brandom on x
Teens... concerning
@elonmusk Elon Musk on x
USAID is a criminal organization
@shashj Shashank Joshi on x
Are security clearances a thing any more? Foreign intelligence agencies would love to know.
@joshuaogundu Josh on x
This should worry people
r/law r on reddit
Con Law 101: DOGE and Constitutional Crisis
r/DemocraticSocialism r on reddit
Straight out of the Mao playbook: Meet the young, inexperienced engineers aiding Elon Musk's government takeover. …
r/Fuckthealtright r on reddit
Musk says DOGE is halting Treasury payments to US contractors
r/technology r on reddit
DOGE is halting Treasury payments to US contractors
r/Pennsylvania r on reddit
Email/Call your Reps in Congress. Ask for a criminal lawsuit against these private citizens taking over our sensitive data and $6T at the Treasury
r/Louisiana r on reddit
Email/Call your Reps in Congress. Ask for a criminal lawsuit against these private citizens taking over our sensitive data and $6T at the Treasury
r/texas r on reddit
Email/Call your reps. Ask for criminal lawsuit against these private citizens taking over the $6T at treasury
r/govfire r on reddit
Musk says DOGE is halting Treasury payments to US contractors
r/massachusetts r on reddit
These are the engineers taking over $6T at the Treasury. Email & call your reps. Ask for criminal lawsuits against these private citizens
r/NoShitSherlock r on reddit
Musk says DOGE is halting Treasury payments to US contractors
r/RKLB r on reddit
DOGE is halting Treasury payments to US contractors. Fingers crossed it doesn't affect RKLB 🤞
r/facepalm r on reddit
Musk says DOGE is halting Treasury payments to US contractors
r/conspiracy r on reddit
Elon Musk's DOGE team consists of inexperienced 19-24 year olds who are helping him to access private information, $1 Trillion in the nation's funds, and take over the government
r/mcgill r on reddit
Per Wired, Gautier Cole Killian - a McGill graduate - is one the “young engineers” currently facilitating Elon Musk's government takeover
r/NEU r on reddit
Edward Coristine, future NEU student, listed as one of the people assisting Elon's government takeover
r/DeFranco r on reddit
Musk says DOGE is halting Treasury payments to US contractors | Fortune
r/Economics r on reddit
Musk Says DOGE Is Halting Treasury Payments to US Contractors
r/politics r on reddit
Musk Says DOGE Is Halting Treasury Payments to US Contractors
r/Political_Revolution r on reddit
Maybe the wildest thing I've ever read! HOLY SHIT! What in the 1980's movie is going on here! Elon usurps the government using teenagers!
r/fednews r on reddit
So can they really just not pay the contractors also?
r/AnythingGoesNews r on reddit
Musk Says DOGE Is Halting Treasury Payments to US Contractors
r/redscarepod r on reddit
Musk Says Is ‘Rapidly Shutting Down’ Treasury Payments to US Contractors
r/musked r on reddit
The Young, Inexperienced Engineers Aiding Elon Musk's Government Takeover
r/loopringorg r on reddit
Be your own bank. Own your digital identity. Governments not included.
r/google r on reddit
Is this the reason for dark web alerts today? Seems he and his cronies are taking over government servers left and right
r/democrats r on reddit
The Young, Inexperienced Engineers Aiding Elon Musk's Government Takeover
r/EnoughMuskSpam r on reddit
The Young, Inexperienced Engineers Aiding Elon Musk's Government Takeover (Wired)
r/law r on reddit
Elon Musk May Have Your Social Security Number
r/neoliberal r on reddit
The Young, Inexperienced Engineers Aiding Elon Musk's Government Takeover
r/conservativeterrorism r on reddit
Senior USAID security officials put on leave after attempting to refuse Musk's DOGE access to agency systems
r/unusual_whales r on reddit
The Young, Inexperienced Engineers Aiding Elon Musk's Government Takeover
r/EatTheRich r on reddit
The Young, Inexperienced Engineers Aiding Elon Musk's Government Takeover
r/TrueReddit r on reddit
Meet the young, inexperienced engineers aiding Elon Musk's government takeover. The men, between 19 and 24, are playing a key role as he seizes control of federal infrastructure. …
r/AntiTrumpAlliance r on reddit
The Young, Inexperienced Engineers Aiding Elon Musk's Government Takeover
r/inthenews r on reddit
Meet the young, inexperienced engineers aiding Elon Musk's government takeover. The men, between 19 and 24, are playing a key role as he seizes control of federal infrastructure. …
r/the_everything_bubble r on reddit
Elon Musk May Have Your Social Security Number
r/Fuckthealtright r on reddit
Elon Musk May Have Your Social Security Number
r/somethingiswrong2024 r on reddit
Musk's lackeys are staging a coup
r/news r on reddit
Elon Musk's Doge team granted ‘full access’ to federal payment system.
r/antiwork r on reddit
Elon Musk Shuts Out Senior Government Workers in Latest DOGE Takeover | A source claimed the DOGE director has seized control of the computer system that manages all government personnel.
r/antiwork r on reddit
Elon Musk's Team Now Has Full Access to Treasury's Payments System - ...
r/politics r on reddit
Elon Musk Shuts Out Senior Government Workers in Latest DOGE Takeover | A source claimed the DOGE director has seized control of the computer system that manages all government personnel.
r/politics r on reddit
Elon Musk's DOGE getting access to Treasury payment data alarms critics
r/politics r on reddit
Senator warns of national security risks after Elon Musk's DOGE granted ‘full access’ to sensitive Treasury systems
r/ABCDesis r on reddit
Wired identifies a young Desi engineer implementing Elon Musk's government takeover
r/berkeley r on reddit
Wired identifies a recent Cal student implementing Elon Musk's government takeover
r/justproject2025things r on reddit
The Young, Inexperienced Engineers Aiding Elon Musk's Government Takeover
r/Libertarian r on reddit
Everyone who hates Elon just realised why govt access to your bank account is terrible
r/politics r on reddit
USAID security officials on leave after refusing access to Musk allies
r/AnythingGoesNews r on reddit
Elon Musk May Have Your Social Security Number
r/technology r on reddit
Government Tech Workers Forced to Defend Projects to Random Elon Musk Bros | A recent high school graduate and former Neuralink intern …
r/EnoughMuskSpam r on reddit
Elon Musk, Leader of the Nazi World, now has Social Security Numbers of all Americans
r/MarchAgainstNazis r on reddit
Elon Musk, Leader of the Nazi World, now has Social Security Numbers of all Americans
r/Foodforthought r on reddit
Elon Musk May Have Your Social Security Number
r/politics r on reddit
Elon Musk May Have Your Social Security Number
r/China_irl r on reddit
纽约时报：马斯克的团队现已获得美国财 …
r/technology r on reddit
Elon Musk's Team Now Has Access to Treasury's Payments System
r/politics r on reddit
Elon Musk May Have Your Social Security Number
@marypcbuk Mary Branscombe on bluesky
Shocked face, my absolute shocked face [embedded post]
r/politics r on reddit
Corporate America cosies up to Elon Musk as billionaire deepens ties to Donald Trump

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