📣 DOGE Whistler

☀️ April 16, 2025 ☀️

🐾 Now Let’s Sic ‘Em! 🐾

A whistleblower from the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has alleged that DOGE accessed and possibly exfiltrated sensitive union-related data during a covert operation in March. The whistleblower, Daniel Berulis, says DOGE bros bypassed standard cybersecurity protocols, turned off system logs, and deleted evidence of their activity — raising red flags that echo tactics used by state-sponsored hackers.

The case is now under scrutiny by Congress and cybersecurity experts, who warn the breach could have chilling consequences for labor rights, whistleblower protections, and U.S. national security.

The full article is worth reading, but basically…

In early March, DOGE engineers arrived unannounced at the NLRB headquarters, demanded high-level access to the agency’s internal systems, and brushed off IT staff suggestions to log or monitor their activity. The DOGE bros insisted on working in secret — already a major breach in protocol — and they also deleted logs and installed virtual containers that obscured their activity on the network.

Within days, Berulis observed a spike in outbound traffic from the NLRB’s case management system, which holds legally protected information: union membership, corporate strategy, whistleblower testimony, and Social Security numbers. Berulis believes this was not normal auditing — it was a stealthy data snooping.

The whistleblower also flagged a DOGE bro’s GitHub project called “NxGenBdoorExtract,” which seemed to reference a backdoor into the central system. Soon after, login attempts from a Russian IP using DOGE credentials were detected. Though blocked, experts say it suggests foreign actors may have had near real-time visibility — possibly exploiting access the DOGE bros left open.

After raising internal concerns and preparing a formal complaint to Congress, Berulis received a threatening note at his home — with drone photos, personal info, and references to his whistleblower actions. Clearly this is witness intimidation.

Experts warn the breach could allow companies like SpaceX to see sensitive case files and legal strategy in ongoing labor disputes — a massive conflict of interest given Musk’s government role and active litigation involving his companies. Labor advocates fear the leak could deter workers from unionizing or testifying before the NLRB, undermining one of the few agencies designed to protect employee rights.

Also, this isn’t an isolated case. Former tech officials from CFPB, Treasury, and Interior have reported similar behavior: DOGE staff disabling cybersecurity protocols, deleting logs, and exfiltrating data with little oversight. Court cases and agency investigations are stacking up — but DOGE continues to gain access to more federal systems.

Berulis says he blew the whistle because he believes there’s still a chance to stop DOGE before it gets full access across the federal government. “If this is all a huge misunderstanding, then just prove it. Put it out there. That’s all I’m asking.”

Dumped at the Pound. DOGE Sends Pentagon Tech Unit Packing.

Another key Pentagon unit is heading for the kennel. The Defense Digital Service (DDS) — the scrappy, tech-savvy team known for bringing Silicon Valley smarts to the military’s clunky software systems — is being dismantled. Almost the entire 14-person staff, including Director Jennifer Hay, plans to leave by May 1 after taking the administration’s “deferred resignation” deal.

Why? According to one team member, the unit was sidelined by DOGE, made “non-mission capable” by hiring freezes, remote work restrictions, and travel bans. In short: the leashes got too tight.

Originally founded in 2015 to fix the Pentagon’s tech mess, DDS tackled everything from cloud modernization and cyber patching to drone detection and military benefits. But under pressure from DOGE — which reportedly declined to redeploy DDS talent into AI-driven automation projects — the team decided to walk rather than be muzzled.

Some projects will be adopted by other teams, but key efforts like digital benefit access and drone defense may go dark. Once again, a high-functioning team gets sent to the pound because DOGE can’t be bothered with innovation that doesn’t come with a price tag or a loyalty test.

GRRicane Relief. CDC Flood Team Axed Mid-Mission in North Carolina.

Six months after devastating floods from Hurricane Helene, a federal health response team was poised to go door to door in western North Carolina to assess residents’ lingering needs — from mold and clean water to trauma and food insecurity.

But just as the team of CDC environmental health specialists arrived, they were abruptly terminated in a DOGE-directed layoff blitz.

CDC staffers were sent packing before they could launch the survey. Local health officials say the community lost not only critical data but crucial face-to-face support. The survey, a collaboration between the CDC, local governments, and a university, was designed to be fast, efficient, and actionable — but without federal help, it collapsed.

The cuts were part of a massive 25% downsizing of HHS staff and a 35% cut to contract spending, justified under a broader “efficiency” agenda. But critics say the real cost is borne by states, who rely heavily on CDC expertise — especially when disaster strikes. One North Carolina official called it “a big gap” that’s now impossible to fill.

Petting Zoo. Now DOGE Is Even targeting Zoos Too.

In another head-scratching move, DOGE has moved to slash federal funds from a behavioral diversity program at Brookfield Zoo — despite the fact that the program has nothing to do with traditional DEI. Instead, it’s focused on monitoring how animals like dolphins and gorillas adapt to life in managed care environments, not the wild.

Senior VP Andrea Rodgers of Brookfield Zoo clarified it’s about “bio-diversity and animal welfare,” but that didn’t stop DOGE from pouncing. The $78,000 grant, routed through the Institute of Museum and Library Services, had already been mostly disbursed when the leash got yanked.

Rodgers says they’re used to the chaos under DOGE: “We’re in a constant wait-and-see moment.” Brookfield relies on around $1 million in federal grants each year — enough to cause a ripple in other areas when it vanishes.

This may be a relatively small-dollar example, but it's hardly a small-impact one. Slashing grants like this — rounding errors in a multi-trillion-dollar budget — hits hardest at the local level, where those funds translate into real programs, jobs, and public services. Brookfield’s story is just one of many showing how the big-government axe can land squarely on the little guy… or gorilla, or dolphin, or giraffe.

Snoopy. DOGE Is Turning Federal Records Into Deportation Traps.

The Trump administration is using DOGE to mine federal databases and locate undocumented immigrants where they live, work, and study — often to remove them from public housing, cut them off from jobs, or prepare them for deportation.

At HUD, DOGE operatives are pushing to evict “mixed-status” families — meaning, some members are undocumented but others are U.S. citizens — from public housing. “We’re putting [them] on notice,” said HUD Secretary Scott Turner, who claims 24,000 “ineligible” people live in HUD-funded homes. Though undocumented residents can’t receive benefits directly, they’ve long been allowed to live with eligible family.

At the Social Security Administration, over 6,000 mostly Latino immigrants were recently added to the agency’s death database, effectively cutting them off from benefits and legal employment. Meanwhile, DOGE has accessed sensitive SSA data — including names, immigration status, bank info, and SSNs — seeking to flag people without legal documentation.

A federal judge temporarily blocked DOGE from accessing SSA systems in March, but DOGE staffers have reportedly tried to regain entry, potentially violating the order.

At the IRS, officials agreed to share taxpayer data to help DHS identify up to 7 million undocumented immigrants — a move that led to the IRS commissioner’s resignation.

The Education Department is also under scrutiny for requesting names and nationalities of students protesting Israel’s war in Gaza. Internal emails suggest DOGE could use this info to revoke visas of foreign students.

Legal experts warn that repurposing personal data for immigration enforcement breaks longstanding privacy norms. “It’s not only about one subgroup of people,” said Tanya Broder of the National Immigration Law Center. “It’s really about all of us.”

DOGE’s actions reflect Trump’s executive order to break down “information silos” between agencies. Critics say the real goal is not efficiency but turning government services into surveillance tools. Agency staffers across HUD, SSA, and Education say they were sidelined, overruled, or asked to help with questionable data mining efforts.

"Amid Tariff War, China Cuts Off U.S. and Strikes New Deals with Allies"
Trump’s escalating trade war with China is starting to hit key U.S. industries hard — and foreign competitors are capitalizing. After failing to renew licenses for roughly 300 U.S. beef plants, China effectively halted the $2.5 billion American beef trade, and Australian producers filled the vacuum. Australian grain-fed beef exports to China surged nearly 40% in just two months. Meanwhile, Boeing has found itself a high-profile casualty of China’s retaliation. Beijing reportedly ordered Chinese airlines to freeze purchases of U.S. jets and parts after Trump’s new 145% tariffs, putting billions in future Boeing orders at risk. The bigger picture: these losses show how quickly the U.S. is losing ground and ceding global ground to rivals. Worst. Negotiator. Ever.

“Chinese Diplomat Trolls WH Press Secretary for Hypocrisy”
Speaking of China… White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt faced backlash after wearing a red lace dress apparently made in China, despite the administration's strong anti-China trade stance. Chinese diplomat Zhang Zhisheng highlighted the irony on social media, sharing images of the dress and noting. The post went viral, with critics calling out Leavitt for her hypocrisy and lies. Talk about a “bad look.” 🙄

“MS-13 Myth Collapses: Trump’s Case Against Abrego Garcia Just Fell Apart”
The Trump administration's case for keeping Kilmar Abrego Garcia in a Salvadoran prison just got even weaker. A Maryland detective whose 2019 police report was the sole basis for labeling Garcia an MS-13 member has now been revealed as having been suspended for giving case info to a sex worker — and later pled guilty. This further undercuts the already flimsy evidence used to justify Garcia’s illegal deportation, which the Supreme Court has ordered Trump to reverse. Yet despite the ruling, Trump continues to defy the Court and frame Garcia as a threat with gang ties. Garcia was never convicted of a crime and had been granted legal protection from deportation. Period.

“Pentagon senior adviser Dan Caldwell ousted during investigation into leaks”
SignalGate is still a thing! Dan Caldwell, a senior adviser to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, was abruptly placed on leave and escorted out of the Pentagon as part of an ongoing leak investigation tied to the now-infamous Signal chat used by top Trump national security officials. Caldwell, who helped coordinate Hegseth’s messaging in that group, is suspected of disclosing sensitive info — though the exact leaks under scrutiny haven’t been disclosed. Caldwell’s close ties to Hegseth date back to their time running a veterans nonprofit that also ended in financial controversy.

“More Universities Sue Over Energy Department Research Funding Cuts”
Top universities, including MIT, Cornell, and Brown, are suing the Department of Energy over new funding cuts orchestrated by Trump and DOGE. The policy caps indirect cost reimbursements on research grants at 15%, threatening essential support systems like facilities, data processing, and administrative staff. Schools warn the cuts will derail critical projects — from nuclear tech and cancer diagnostics to grid upgrades — and deliver a “gift to competitors” like China. The suit argues the cap violates federal law and jeopardizes America's scientific edge. As one university put it: this isn't just belt-tightening — it's a muzzle on innovation.

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