The Daily Scoop Podcast

Episode: DOGE duo ducked security rules during Treasury stint, GAO finds
Date: April 30, 2026
Host: Matt Bracken (filling in for Billy Mitchell)

Episode Overview

This episode covers two pressing stories at the intersection of government operations and technology:

The Government Accountability Office’s (GAO) report exposing significant IT security violations by DOGE associates at the Department of the Treasury.
The notable increase in reported government artificial intelligence (AI) use cases in 2025, with a spotlight on NASA’s dramatic rise.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. GAO Report on DOGE Associates at Treasury Department

[00:20 – 03:30]

Background:
The GAO investigated IT security practices after two staffers from DOGE (Elon Musk’s tech collective) were sent to the Treasury Department during the early second Trump administration.
Scope & Timeline:
- The review focused on access to Bureau of the Fiscal Service (BFS) payment systems from January 20 to April 11, 2025.
- The ongoing litigation continues around DOGE's involvement.
Findings:
- One DOGE employee accessed three BFS systems, which process tax refunds, salaries, and foreign aid payments.
- This employee viewed, copied, and printed sensitive data and was temporarily but inadvertently granted access to create, modify, and delete data in one system.
  - “That DOGE employee was able to view, copy and print data from those systems, according to the report. In addition to being inadvertently granted temporary access to create, modify and delete data for one of the systems...” [01:51]
- Evidence suggests data changes were limited to “unintentional security slips.”
- The GAO identified lapses in protocol, such as unencrypted sharing of a list containing personally identifiable information (PII) related to USAID payments.
  - “...including sharing a list of people that sent USAID payments without encrypting their pii.” [02:20]
- Treasury and BFS are also faulted for failing to fully implement critical cybersecurity controls.
Recommendations & Treasury Response:
- GAO issued six recommendations; Treasury agreed with three but did not respond to the other three.

2. Surge in Government AI Use Cases (OMB Data)

[03:30 – 05:18]

Overall Growth:
- The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) reported approximately 3,600 AI use cases across federal agencies in 2025—up nearly 70% from the previous year.
  - “...the US government reported about 3,600 AI use cases across agencies, a nearly 70% increase in disclosed applications of the technology from the previous reporting year.” [03:53]
Breakdown of Use Cases:
- Includes pre-deployment, pilots, operational, and retired projects.
- Notably, Department of Defense and intelligence agencies are excluded from this tally.
- Roughly 9% of AI use cases have been “retired.”
NASA’s Dramatic Increase:
- NASA’s reported AI use cases jumped from 18 in 2024 to 420 in 2025—a 2,260% increase.
  - “Chief among them was NASA. The space agency reported 420 use cases, a roughly 2,260% change from the 18 it disclosed in 2024.” [04:36]
- NASA now ranks second, only behind the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for total AI applications.
Second Trump Administration’s AI Policy:
- The administration has driven greater AI adoption with “fewer guardrails,” prioritizing efficiency over regulation.
  - “Second, Trump administration has generally pushed for increased deployment of the technology with fewer guardrails.” [04:24]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On the gravity of DOGE's security lapses:
“The GAO found a series of moves by Doge that skirted IT security rules set for BFS usage, including sharing a list of people that sent USAID payments without encrypting their pii.” [02:20]
On NASA’s leap in AI adoption:
“The space agency reported 420 use cases, a roughly 2,260% change from the 18 it disclosed in 2024.” [04:36]

Segment Timestamps for Reference

| Segment | Timestamp | |--------------------------------------------|-------------| | GAO report on DOGE and Treasury | 00:20–03:30 | | Notable IT lapses and recommendations | 01:51–03:15 | | OMB AI use case inventory rises (overall) | 03:30–04:36 | | NASA & HHS AI use case leadership | 04:36–05:10 |

Summary Takeaways

The GAO's report reveals significant security vulnerabilities and protocol violations during DOGE associates’ stint at the Treasury, with both the staffers and the bureau’s oversight structures under scrutiny.
Dramatic government-wide AI growth in 2025 is spearheaded by agencies like NASA, reflecting both policy shifts and operational expansions under the Trump administration.
The episode highlights ongoing challenges in federal technology management: balancing security, efficiency, and innovation.

For more in-depth coverage, listeners are encouraged to visit fedscoop.com.

Transcript

A (0:02)

Today on the Daily Scoop podcast from the Scoop News Group, a new GAO report details poor IT security practices by Doge associates at the Treasury Department, and OMB data shows that disclosed government AI use cases increased by 70% in 2025, with NASA fueling a big chunk of the rise. It's Thursday, April 30, 2026. Welcome to the Daily Scoop podcast, where you'll hear the latest news and trends facing government leaders. I'm the host of the daily SC Podcast, Matt Bracken filling in for Billy Mitchell. Thanks so much for joining me. Let's dive into the day's top headlines. Two Doge associates dispatched to the Treasury Department in the early days of the second Trump administration flouted various IT security rules while the agency itself fell short on implementing proper cyber controls, according to a new Watchdog report. The Government Accountability Office examined access that a pair of Doge staffers had to Bureau of the Fiscal Service payment systems from January 20 to April 11, 2025. The audit aimed to determine what the Doge duo planned to do with BFS systems and if they followed treasury protocols on data security. Doge's access to those systems has been the subject of ongoing litigation. Preliminary results of gao's ongoing work involving Doge revealed that one representative from the Elon Musk created Tech Collective had access to three BFS systems. Those systems are where the federal government disperses federal income tax refunds, benefits, salaries and many other payments. Foreign aid payments specifically were at the center of much of Doge's activity. That Doge employee was able to view, copy and print data from those systems, according to the report. In addition to being inadvertently granted temporary access to create, modify and delete data for one of the systems, the watchdog found no evidence of changes to data beyond unintentional security slips. The GAO found a series of moves by Doge that skirted IT security rules set for BFS usage, including sharing a list of people that sent USAID payments without encrypting their pii. The GAO didn't spare treasury and BFS officials from blame for some Doge security lapses, however. The bfs, for example, did not fully implement all selected cyber security controls on payment systems. The GAO delivered six recommendations to treasury, three of which the department agreed with and three others that it did not respond to. In other news, the Office of Management and Budget's public tally of government wide AI use again grew in 2025, this time amid the Trump administration's push to use the technology in the name of efficiency. Per OMB's recent publication on GitHub, the US government reported about 3,600 AI use cases across agencies, a nearly 70% increase in disclosed applications of the technology from the previous reporting year. As with previous disclosures, the accounting captures pre deployment uses, pilot projects, those in active operation, and retired deployments. The figure does not include uses in the Department of Defense or elements of the intelligence community. Per the 2025 inventory, roughly 9% of the reported uses had been retired. Although agencies have been individually publishing their annual disclosures since January, the consolidated version of the inventories is the first comprehensive look at AI use across the government under President Donald Trump. Second, Trump administration has generally pushed for increased deployment of the technology with fewer guardrails. While many of the same agencies topped the list of highest number of uses, a couple of new additions rose to the top. Chief among them was NASA. The space agency reported 420 use cases, a roughly 2,260% change from the 18 it disclosed in 2024. The agency's reported volume was second only to the Department of Health and Human Services, which maintain its position as the agency with the most applications of the technology for for another year. For more news at the intersection of the federal government and technology, visit fedscoop.com thank you for tuning in to another episode of the Daily Scoop Podcast, available on all podcast platforms. If you've already rated the podcast on your platform of choice, thank you. High ratings and good reviews of the show help more people find it. The Daily Scoop Podcast is a production of the Scoop News Group in Washington, D.C. adam Butler and Carlin Fisher help put this show together, and the entire Scoop News Group team contributes. We'll be back tomorrow with more top headlines. Until then, I'm your host, Matt Bracken. Thanks for listening.