Democrats are expressing dismay at Elon Musk and his young DOGE ‘nerd army’ after they requested access to Americans’ most sensitive IRS data.
The IRS keeps records on Social Security numbers, banking information, tax returns and more – all sensitive records that Americans typically keep private to avoid being the targets of fraud.
Democrats are now sounding the alarm that DOGE may be able to comb through those personal records of everyday Americans.
‘I want to save billions of your money and make our government more efficient,’ Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., posted on X about Musk’s efforts to infiltrate the IRS. ‘Rummaging through your personal s*** is *not* that. A party of chaos loses—always.’
However, for all the chatter about DOGE’s access to the sensitive IRS data, there is no indication that Musk’s team has gotten their hands on the files so many Democrats are worried about.
Musk’s team of twenty-year-old nerds haven’t been able to access sensitive data at the Treasury Department, which oversees the IRS, because their efforts have been held up in court.
And Musk made it clear he has zero interest in trying to steal information on normal Americans.
He says that combing through the sensitive data will help his team root out fraud and abuse within government ranks.
Responding to Fetterman’s post, Musk fired back saying he could’ve accessed American’s ‘personal s***’ when co-founding PayPal decades ago.
Fetterman and Musk have been trading barbs on social media about Musk’s DOGE workers trying to get access to IRS data
A sign depicting Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk and U.S. President Donald Trump is visible as protesters rally against the Trump administration during ‘Not My President’s Day’ protests in Washington, D.C., on Monday. Protests are being held in cities across the nation on Presidents’ Day against what the organizers say are ‘the anti-democratic and illegal actions of the Trump administration’
Musk is adding more young talent to the so-called ‘nerd army’ at the Department of Government Efficiency – including a 24-year-old former college swimmer Kendall Lindemann who became the first known woman to join the ‘First Buddy’s’ team
He continued, claiming the IRS already is an apparent victim of widespread fraud and that he, as the world’s richest man, has no incentive to try and glean information on everyday Americans.
‘Having tens of millions of people marked in Social Security as ‘ALIVE’ when they are definitely dead is a HUGE problem,’ Musk wrote to Fetterman.
He referred to an staggering data uncovered by his team showing there are millions of dead Americans still eligible for social security payments.
There is even an ‘alive’ citizen aged over 360, according to the records.
‘Obviously. Some of these people would have been alive before America existed as a country. Think about that for a second.’
Fetterman responded: ‘Elon, the DOGE mission resonated in PA; I came at it with common sense and an open-mind.’
‘For many, it’s causing chaos and confusion—which IMO, doesn’t help DOGE. PA voters want their personal info secured and taxes spent wisely. Safe to assume both are priorities?’ the senator asked.
Musk responded again: ‘I love the people. We just want to fix the waste and fraud that is bankrupting the country. The scrutiny on me is extreme, so it’s not like I could ‘get away’ with something, nor do I have any incentive to do so.’
But Musk’s explanation of why he wants to infiltrate the IRS is unlikely to satisfy Democratic lawmakers who have been slamming the CEO.
‘Elon Musk and his interns are seeking financial information on every taxpayer, business, and nonprofit in the country,’ Rep. Betty McCollum, D-Minn., posted on Monday.
‘This isn’t complicated: An unelected billionaire should not be allowed to go through your IRS records – or those of his business competitors.’
Musk’s team already gained sweeping access to other major federal organs like USAID, the Education Department, Veterans Affairs and more.
Some recent reports indicate that DOGE could be given access to the sensitive IRS data in the near future despite the court hold-up.
According to CNN, DOGE worker Gavin Kliger will be granted access to the IRS Data Retrieval System ‘imminently.’
Kliger will be working at the agency for up to 120 days while looking for wasteful government spending, the outlet reported.
In addition to its efforts to gain access to IRS information DOGE has been trying to get data from the Treasury Department.
Fetterman reasoned with Musk that he likes that DOGE is looking to cut out waste, but argued that the way the X owner is doing it is creating ‘chaos’
A protestor holds up a sign ridiculing Trump and Musk on Monday
However, that effort has been held up in court as last week a federal judge extended an earlier judicial order that had temporarily restricted DOGE from getting at the Treasury data.
Already DOGE has accessed information from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the Commerce Department, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the Education Department, USAID and Veterans Affairs.
At CMS DOGE has been granted access to payment and contract systems, Politico reported earlier this month.
According to New York Magazine, a DOGE staffer was seen at the Commerce Department’s headquarters, where they reportedly accessed the agency’s IT portfolio.
Musk himself has noted that DOGE is working at the FAA to make ‘rapid safety upgrades’ after a plane collided with a black hawk military helicopter in Washington, D.C., earlier this year.
DOGE has been working fast at the Education Department to cancel hundreds of millions of dollars in DEI initiatives.
Musk’s ‘nerd army’ has already been granted sweeping access to other major federal organs like USAID, the Education Department, Veterans Affairs and more
Musk has teamed up with Trump to try and root out government waste
USAID has been practically shuttered by DOGE workers after they gained access to the department’s payment system and stopped money flowing to most foreign aid projects abroad.
Though, similar to the Treasury Department, a federal judge has stepped in and halted action on the agency until further review.
The VA has announced it is working with DOGE it modernize its systems and reform its operations.
