Trump news at a glance: Doge access to federal payroll and Trump’s third term comment spark alarm

Fears access could create cybersecurity attack risk; Trump talk of third term met with scorn. Here's your roundup of key US politics stories from 31 March 2025

Members of Elon Musk's so-called department of government efficiency" (Doge) reportedly gained access to a payroll system over the weekend that processes salaries for about 276,000 federal employees across various government agencies, despite warnings from senior staff about the potential risks.

Senior career officials at the interior department reportedly issued a memo last week highlighting the unusual nature of the request to gain access to the Federal Personnel and Payroll System and the associated risks with granting it, the New York Times reported.