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A top Democrat warned last week that the White House's government efficiency team could disrupt tax refund processing as representatives began examining Internal Revenue Service operations during peak filing season.
Gavin Kliger, a member of the Department of Government Efficiency that is being led by Elon Musk, visited IRS headquarters in Washington on Feb. 13, requesting detailed information about agency operations and staffing, according to CNN.
"My office is hearing that DOGE is now at the IRS. That means Musk's henchmen are in a position to dig through a trove of data about every taxpayer in America. And if your refund is delayed, they could very well be the reason," Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) wrote on X.
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The visit marks the efficiency department's first direct engagement with the tax agency, which employs approximately 100,000 workers. According to CNN, Kliger requested information about each business unit's responsibilities and risk factors.
An email shared with CNN that was sent to IRS employees during the visit instructed staff to route queries about "high-profile visitors" through proper channels, noting the matter had been "elevated to Treasury" for further instruction.
President Donald Trump authorized the IRS review earlier in the day on Feb. 13, telling reporters, "the Internal Revenue Service will be looked at like everybody else." When asked if he expected the agency to be closed, Trump responded: "No, I don't expect it. But I think the Internal Revenue Service will be looked at like everybody else."
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The audit follows an informal poll on X where Musk asked followers if they favored reviewing the IRS. The poll showed 91.2% support among respondents. The billionaire issued a poll earlier in December calling for the IRS to be "deleted," which saw 60.4% of respondents agree with the proposition.
House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith (R-MO) embraced the scrutiny in a letter to Acting IRS Commissioner Douglas O'Donnell. "Business as usual at the IRS is unacceptable," Smith wrote. "Our government has not been working effectively for the American people, and it needs to change."
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The IRS already faces hiring restrictions under Trump's Jan. 20 executive order freezing federal employment. While the broader hiring freeze expires after 90 days, the order says that IRS restrictions will remain until the treasury secretary determines "it is in the national interest to lift the freeze."
No operational changes or layoffs have been announced. The Wall Street Journal reported that a source said Kliger did not access IRS computer systems or taxpayer information during his visit.
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