A Chinese APT had unfettered access to the Treasury Department, discovered back in December. It's interesting that people are much more excited about new government employees accessing these systems as part of their duties than they are about this.

A foreign adversary hacking a governmental system isn't good, but it's also kinda expected that they'll try.

That "just an advisor (but not really)" Musk and his ragtag group of junior developers get god mode access to lots of governmental systems is less expected. There are legal ways for the president to direct these departments, so when he opts for the illegal path, it's definitely noteworthy.

True, but the Chinese also can't order malicious tax audits against political opponents like Trump can.