U.S. Attorney Ed Martin has announced a federal investigation after employees of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) were doxed and threatened online. Martin confirmed that certain actions taken against DOGE workers may violate the law and that his office is working with law enforcement agencies to address the situation.

Martin emphasized that his team is prepared to take action. “We also have our prosecutors preparing,” he said, making it clear that those responsible for exposing DOGE workers could face legal consequences.

The situation escalated after Wired published the names of several DOGE employees, identifying them as young engineers with little government experience. Shortly after, their names appeared on X, and some users issued threats. Musk responded on his platform by stating, “You have committed a crime,” signaling that he viewed the exposure of his employees as unlawful.

Martin, in a letter directed at Musk, condemned the targeting of DOGE staff. “We will pursue any and all legal action against anyone who impedes your work or threatens your people,” he wrote. He also contrasted his approach with that of the previous administration, which he accused of failing to protect government personnel.

While some have argued that publishing the names of government employees does not qualify as doxing, Musk’s supporters insist that the release of this information was an attempt to intimidate his staff. The debate over whether revealing government employees’ identities constitutes a crime continues, but federal authorities have signaled they are taking the matter seriously.

Musk, meanwhile, has remained defiant, writing on X, “Time to confess: Media reports saying that @DOGE has some of the world’s best software engineers are in fact true.”