Musk's ally given power to halt tax refunds and Social Security checks: report

One of billionaire Elon Musk's allies has been installed as the head of the Treasury Department bureau that manages the nation's most powerful payment system after the tech mogul pushed out a career civil servant who previously held the role, according to sources.

Silicon Valley executive Tom Krause will become the financial assistant secretary of the Treasury Department, two sources with knowledge of the matter told the Washington Post, and replace 35-year veteran David Lebryk, who resigned after telling Krause his demand to stop payments on foreign aid was illegal and refused to comply.