A federal judge on Friday declined to block Elon Musk's government cost-cutting department from accessing the U.S. Department of Labor's systems, an initial setback for the government employee unions resisting his efforts to shrink the federal bureaucracy.

Those records contain personal data such as Social Security and bank account numbers for millions of Americans.

Angry and confused constituents have flooded the phone lines at the US Capitol this week, many of them asking questions about billionaire Elon Musk’s plans.

DOGE’s earlier actions at the Treasury have become a focus of congressional scrutiny and a federal court battle in recent days. Musk’s team initially tried to halt money going to the U.S. Agency for International Development from the Treasury’s payment system.

DOGE officials have been active at USAID, Veterans Affairs, Treasury and elsewhere, but little is publicly known about their work.

President Donald Trump continues his efforts to reduce the size of the federal government, including the Pentagon, with the help of Elon Musk and his DOGE commission. NBC News Correspondents Kelly O’Donnell and Ryan Nobles and New York Times Chief White House Correspondent Peter Baker join Meet the Press NOW.