WASHINGTON — Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency seeks access to troves of sensitive taxpayer data at the IRS, two people familiar with the inner workings of the plan told The Associated Press on Monday. If successful, Musk and his group would have access to millions of tightly controlled files that include taxpayer information, bank records and other sensitive records. The people who spoke to the AP and requested anonymity said DOGE is specifically seeking to access the IRS' Integrated Data Retrieval System, which enables employees "to have instantaneous visual access to certain taxpayer accounts," according to the IRS website.
Elon Musk listens Thursday as President Donald Trump meets with India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington. Meanwhile, a federal judge on Monday questioned the authority of Musk and DOGE but was skeptical of a request to block the organization from accessing sensitive data and firing employees at half a dozen federal agencies. U.
S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan held a hearing on a request from 14 states for a temporary restraining order seeking to curtail Musk's power in President Donald Trump's quest to downsize the federal government. Chutkan said she would rule within 24 hours.
Democratic attorneys general from 14 states filed a lawsuit challenging what they called Musk's “unchecked power.” The states seek to block DOGE from firing employees and accessing data at the federal Office of P.