The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is preparing to grant a member of Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) access to sensitive taxpayer data, raising concerns over privacy and legal challenges, according to The Washington Post.
Expanding access to government data
The IRS maintains highly confidential financial data on millions of Americans, including tax returns, Social Security numbers, banking details, and employment records. The Musk-led DOGE initiative claims its goal is to root out waste, fraud, and abuse within the government, but critics argue this level of access breaches legal and ethical boundaries.
“Waste, fraud and abuse have been deeply entrenched in our broken system for far too long,” said White House spokesperson Harrison Fields. “It takes direct access to the system to identify and fix it.”
The Washington Post reported that the IRS is considering a memorandum of understanding that would give DOGE team members access to its Integrated Data Retrieval System, which contains taxpayer accounts. While no such access had been granted as of Sunday evening, discussions are ongoing.
Legal and political pushback
The effort to grant DOGE officials access to federal financial data has already faced legal challenges. This month, 19 state attorneys general, led by Letitia James of New York, sued to block the Trump administration’s policy of allowing political appointees and “special government employees” to access the Treasury Department’s payment systems. A judge has extended a court order blocking such access while further legal proceedings unfold.
Democrats and legal experts argue that this move is a direct attack on taxpayer privacy and a violation of data protection laws. “This is a massive overreach with potentially dangerous consequences,” one anonymous official stated.
DOGE’s growing influence in federal agencies
DOGE personnel have already been embedded in various federal agencies, with some gaining access to critical financial systems. Gavin Kliger, a software engineer brought into the Office of Personnel Management, was seen at IRS headquarters last week and is expected to be assigned as a senior adviser to the acting commissioner.
The move aligns with broader government-wide layoffs under the Trump administration’s cost-cutting measures. The IRS is set to lay off thousands of employees this week as part of its restructuring initiative. Republicans in Congress have been working to roll back the multibillion-dollar IRS modernization efforts initiated under the Biden administration, further complicating the agency’s operations.
Political motivations behind IRS scrutiny
President Trump has long criticized the IRS, frequently accusing it of unfair audits targeting his finances. On Saturday, Trump sent a fundraising email asking supporters whether he should authorize Musk’s team to audit the IRS itself.
“Are you sick of being targeted and harassed by the IRS?” Trump asked. “Well, maybe it’s time that somebody audited them for a change!”
The push for greater oversight of the IRS under the Trump administration, combined with Musk’s aggressive approach to government reform, suggests a shift toward increased scrutiny and restructuring of federal agencies. However, with legal battles intensifying, the fate of DOGE’s access to sensitive financial data remains uncertain, The Washington Post concludes.
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