Kristi Noem said that Elon Musk and members of his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) team assisted in identifying unauthorized surveillance software on devices used by her and other political appointees at the United States Department of Homeland Security.
During an interview with Patrick Bet-David, Noem stated that a small number of DHS staff members had allegedly installed monitoring software on government-issued phones and computers. She said the issue was uncovered as part of a broader internal review and that the matter was referred to legal counsel for further evaluation.
Noem also said her team identified secure rooms containing documents that were turned over to attorneys. While she did not provide technical details about the software or publicly identify the employees involved, she indicated that those connected to the matter are no longer working at the department.
Musk has not released a separate public statement specifically addressing the claim. The reported discovery comes as DOGE has conducted reviews of operational systems at multiple federal agencies in an effort to improve efficiency and oversight.
Noem previously stated that President Donald Trump authorized Musk’s access to certain DHS systems for evaluation purposes. Additional details about the incident have not been disclosed.