In a controversial move, Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has requested access to a critical Internal Revenue Service (IRS) system that contains sensitive personal tax information of millions of Americans. This revelation comes from two sources familiar with the matter, as reported by ABC News.
The system in question, known as the Integrated Data Retrieval System (IDRS), is essential for IRS employees. It is used to review tax information, issue notices, and update taxpayer records. Access to these files is tightly controlled within the agency, and as of this weekend, the request for access had not been granted, according to several sources.
The request has raised alarms within the government and among privacy experts. They argue that granting Musk access to Americans' private taxpayer data could pose significant risks. Elizabeth Laird, a former state privacy officer now with the Center for Democracy and Technology, emphasized the importance of handling sensitive information securely to prevent risks like identity theft.
Musk, who is estimated to be the richest man in the world, has been vocal about his concerns regarding federal workers. He has criticized federal judges for limiting his power and has made unsubstantiated claims that some federal workers have defrauded taxpayers. During a meeting in the Oval Office with President Donald Trump, Musk expressed suspicion over the wealth accumulated by certain government employees.
Earlier this month, DOGE employees requested access to the Treasury Department's federal payment system, which manages trillions of dollars in government expenditures. This request has led to a lawsuit by 19 states and has been temporarily blocked by a federal judge. A DOGE staffer recently visited the IRS to discuss data collection and management, but it remains unclear if this visit included a formal request for IDRS access.
The IRS is reportedly considering a memorandum of understanding that could grant DOGE officials access to several systems, including IDRS. However, the White House and Musk have not disclosed what federal data the DOGE team has accessed or how it has been used. According to IRS guidelines, unauthorized access or disclosure of taxpayer data is a crime, punishable by fines, prison terms, and termination of employment.
While a district court judge in Manhattan has temporarily blocked DOGE's access to the Treasury Department system, a separate ruling has allowed access to data from the Department of Labor, Department of Health and Human Services, and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Musk claims that DOGE's activities are published on its website for transparency, although this has not alleviated concerns.
ABC News' Hannah Demissie contributed to this report.
