Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is actively seeking access to extensive taxpayer records at the IRS, raising concerns over privacy and potential misuse of sensitive financial information, according to two individuals familiar with the plan who spoke to The Associated Press on Monday.

If granted access, Musk’s team would be able to view millions of tightly controlled tax records, bank details, and other sensitive financial data.

Sources say DOGE is specifically seeking entry to the IRS’ Integrated Data Retrieval System (IDRS)—a system that provides instantaneous access to taxpayer accounts for IRS employees.

According to the IRS website, the IDRS allows officials to retrieve tax data in real-time, a capability that has sparked fears about potential misuse if DOGE gains access.

Critics argue that DOGE’s involvement could lead to:

• Unlawful disclosure of taxpayer records
• Potential targeting of individuals for political or financial reasons
• Severe privacy violations and unintended consequences

Harrison Fields, a White House spokesperson, defended the effort, stating:

“Waste, fraud, and abuse have been deeply entrenched in our broken system for far too long. It takes direct access to the system to identify and fix it.”

He added that DOGE will continue to expose fraud, as “the American people deserve to know how their hard-earned tax dollars are being spent.”

Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) are leading efforts to block DOGE’s access to IRS records.

On Monday, they sent a formal letter to acting IRS Commissioner Douglas O’Donnell, demanding:

• Copies of any memos authorizing DOGE’s access
• Justifications for why DOGE should inspect private tax returns and bank records

The senators also raised concerns over the timing of DOGE’s push, warning:

“We are extremely concerned that DOGE personnel meddling with IRS systems in the middle of tax filing season could, inadvertently or otherwise, cause breakdowns that may delay the issuance of tax refunds indefinitely.”

With Musk’s expanding role in federal operations, the fight over DOGE’s access to IRS taxpayer records has become the latest flashpoint in the battle over government oversight and data security.

As Democratic lawmakers push back, the IRS now faces mounting pressure to clarify whether Musk’s task force will gain access to one of the most sensitive databases in the federal system.