Musk's DOGE Staffers Begin Work at FTC Ahead of Meta Antitrust Trial

Concerns grow over data security and agency independence as Musk's Department of Government Efficiency embeds personnel in the FTC.

Two DOGE staffers, Gavin Kliger and Emily Bryant, have officially started work at the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), raising alarms about potential access to sensitive business data.
The FTC is preparing for a high-profile antitrust trial against Meta, with allegations that the company used acquisitions to stifle competition.
DOGE, led by Elon Musk under the Trump administration, aims to cut government waste but has faced criticism for undermining agency independence and transparency.
Mark Zuckerberg has reportedly lobbied the Trump administration to settle the FTC's antitrust case against Meta, intensifying scrutiny of DOGE's influence.
The Trump administration's broader efforts to consolidate control over independent agencies, including attempts to fire FTC Democratic commissioners, have sparked legal and public backlash.