TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — With dozens of signs, a group of Tucsonans stood outside the Tesla dealership on Friday morning in protest against billionaire Elon Musk's actions in the government.
Phineas Anderson organized the protest and he said it only took two or three days to put together.
"We don’t have a criticism of the car, it’s great for climate change but not him in terms of what he’s doing," he said.
When President Donald Trump took office he created the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE.
The temporary organization has a goal of slashing federal spending.
It's led by billionaire Elon Musk. Recently, DOGE received access to the treasury department's payment system, which contains personal information and data.
“His DOGE is not an official government agency because it hasn’t been approved by Congress so in some ways it’s illegal,” Anderson said. “That includes our social security, medical records, and bank accounts.”
One of the protesters said it's not about partisanship but about safety.
"He was not elected," she said. "I'm an independent. This has nothing to do with Democrat or Republican. This has to do with personal data.”
Across the street, one Tucsonan Colby Hyatt said he agrees with Musk and his position in the government.
“With as many companies as he’s made, he knows how to make money,” he said. "But for what he supports, it's what we all need. We need someone who is going to help us have a better understanding of our market."
But the protesters want to continue raising their voices and are thinking about holding a protest each week.
“We want to try and get everyone involved to defend our democracy," Anderson said.
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Tina Giuliano is a reporter for KGUN 9. She is a native Arizonan and grew up in Scottsdale. Tina is passionate about storytelling and is excited to work telling Tucson's stories. Share your story ideas and important issues with Tina by emailing tina.giuliano@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
