Former officials at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau said Elon Musk’s payment-business aspirations were driving his efforts to hobble the agency.

Republicans have long wanted to kill the CFPB. With Musk and Russell Vought, they may finally have their chance.

The new boss at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau had a jarring message for staffers Monday morning, in an internal memo leaked to Rolling Stone: “Stand down from performing any work task.” The message came from Russell Vought — a Project 2025 architect who was confirmed by the Senate last week to lead the Office of Management and Budget in the Trump White House.

Elon Musk‘s team entered the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau headquarters on Friday, seeking to get access to information technology systems, sources told Politico. Employees at the CFPB are now concerned about Musk’s team having access to sensitive personal data,

Feb. 9 The National Treasury Employees Union, which represents CFPB employees, sued Vought, asking a judge to stop him from halting the bureau’s work and alleging he granted staffers from Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency access to CFPB’s internal communications systems, NBC reported.

The closure of the CFPB, established after the 2008 financial crisis, follows a visit Friday by members of Elon Musk’s U.S. DOGE Service team.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau appears to be the latest federal agency targeted by Elon Musk and DOGE.