Kristi Noem: I’m ‘Absolutely’ Comfortable Letting Elon Musk Access ‘Personal Data’ Inside DHS

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said this week that was completely comfortable allowing Elon Musk to have access to American’s “personal data” that is stored inside DHS.

Noem made the remarks during a Sunday interview on CNN’s “State of the Union” with host Dana Bash when asked about Musk’s role leading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

When asked if she had authorized Musk and his team to have access to “Americans’ personal data that is housed inside DHS,” Noem responded: “I think it’s important. This is essentially an audit of the federal government, which is very powerful and needs to have happened.”

When asked if she was comfortable with that, Noem responded: “Absolutely.”

Bash noted that Republicans have traditionally been skeptical about the role of government and “unelected people having access to personal data.”

“Well, we can’t trust our government anymore,” she responded. “That’s our — yes, oh, absolutely.”

When Bash noted that Noem is the government now, Noem responded: “Yes, that’s what I’m saying, is that the American people now are saying that we have had our personal information shared and out there in the public.”

.@Sec_Noem on Musk accessing Americans’ personal data: “The president has authorized him to have access to that.”
BASH: “And you feel comfortable with that?”
NOEM: “Absolutely.”
BASH: “I remember a time when Republicans were very careful about and worried about the government,… pic.twitter.com/FybuULSukx

— State of the Union (@CNNSOTU) February 9, 2025