Elon Musk’s DOGE Is ‘Now at the IRS,’ Says Democratic Senator

Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) participates in a Senate Finance Committee hearing in Washington on March 22, 2023. Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) posted on social media on Thursday that the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) “is now at” the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

“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,” Wyden wrote in a post on social media platform X.

Without providing details, he alleged that “if your refund is delayed, they could very well be the reason.”

Musk and DOGE have not publicly confirmed Wyden’s statement. Musk responded to Wyden’s statement with two laughing emojis. The Epoch Times contacted the IRS and White House press office for comment.

DOGE was created by President Donald Trump via executive order, and he tasked the Musk-led organization with cutting costs, waste, and fraud across the federal government.

When asked about a Reuters report that said a top DOGE staffer arrived at the IRS building on Thursday, Trump told reporters that he believes DOGE is doing a great job and that it would target all federal agencies.

“I think that the Internal Revenue Service will be looked at like everybody else; just about everybody is going to be looked at. They’re [DOGE] doing a hell of a job, it’s an amazing job they’re doing,” Trump said on Thursday.

Earlier this month, the federal income tax agency said that employees who are involved in the tax season cannot take a buyout offer that was sent out by the Trump administration earlier this year until mid-May. In January, the White House had offered 2 million civilian full-time federal workers an opportunity to quit their jobs and get pay and benefits through Sept. 30 of this year.  That directive has been challenged in court and allowed by a judge to proceed earlier this week.

A letter released by the U.S. Treasury Department said that “critical filing season positions in Taxpayer Services, Information Technology, and the Taxpayer Advocate Service are exempt” from the administration’s buyout plan until May 15.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, whose agency oversees the IRS, said in the letter that he created the exemption because specific positions within the IRS’s taxpayer services and information technology functions necessary to facilitate a smooth tax filing season are required to continue working until May 15. The exemption also extends to Taxpayer Advocate Service staff.

The tax filing season for 2025 started on Jan. 27, and the IRS said in a statement that it is accepting individual tax returns for last year. The agency expects about 140 million individual tax returns to be filed for the 2025 season, which ends on April 15 this year.

If you file your tax return electronically, the IRS has said it should take 21 days or less to receive your refund. If you choose to receive your refund via direct deposit, it should take even less time. If you file a paper return, the refund could take four weeks or more, and if your return requires amendments or corrections, it could take longer.

The IRS has cautioned taxpayers not to rely on receiving a refund by a certain date, especially when making major purchases or paying bills.

People can use the online IRS tool “Where’s My Refund?” to determine the status of their income tax refund within 24 hours of filing electronically and within four weeks of submitting a paper tax return.

The IRS also has expanded its free filing tool, known as Direct File, to more states this year—now up to 25. Earlier this month, there were conflicting social media statements about the free filing tool, leading the White House to confirm that it is still working.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.