Musk's DOGE seeks access to IRS, Social Security files
If cleared, the Department of Government Efficiency would have access to tax returns, bank records and other highly personal information about most Americans


What happened
Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency is seeking access to Social Security Administration and Internal Revenue Service databases with highly personal information about most Americans, including tax returns, bank records and Social Security numbers, The Washington Post and other newspapers reported over the weekend. Acting SSA Commissioner Michelle King stepped down on Sunday, becoming the latest agency head to resign rather than give DOGE engineers access to closely held data.
The Trump administration also fired several thousand government workers over the weekend, including "scores of employees who work to bolster the nation's nuclear defense, only to realize its error and start reversing the firings," the Post said.
Who said what
The Trump administration said Musk's engineers need access to the tightly guarded databases to "eliminate waste, fraud and abuse." But "White House officials, when asked, wouldn't specify why DOGE needed access to the sensitive taxpayer information to execute on its mission," The Wall Street Journal said.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
It was unclear Monday if DOGE operatives had successfully gained access yet, but the Social Security database "has our bank information, our earnings records, the names and ages of our children, and much more," said Nancy Altman, the president of the advocacy group Social Security Works. "There is no way to overstate how serious a breach this is." Someone with "an evil intent" could "erase your earnings record, making it impossible to collect the Social Security and Medicare benefits you have earned," she added.
The "potential unlawful release of taxpayer records" could also be used to "maliciously target Americans, violate their privacy and create other ramifications," The Associated Press said. In his first term, the Post said, President Donald Trump "openly mused about sending IRS agents after political opponents, leaving agency officials on edge about the IRS's independence."
What next?
Trump bypassed several higher-ranking officials to replace King with Leland Dudek, who oversaw the SSA's anti-fraud office. Dudek had praised Musk's team in a LinkedIn post, "saying he had been assisting its efforts," the Times said. He has now "deleted his account."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
August 23 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Saturday's political cartoons include deficit dimness, steamroller-in-chief, and more
-
5 museum-grade cartoons about Trump's Smithsonian purge
Cartoons Artists take on institutional rebranding, exhibit interpretation, and more
-
Settling the West Bank: a death knell for a Palestine state?
In the Spotlight The reality on the ground is that the annexation of the West Bank is all but a done deal
-
Judge: Trump's US attorney in NJ serving unlawfully
Speed Read The appointment of Trump's former personal defense lawyer, Alina Habba, as acting US attorney in New Jersey was ruled 'unlawful'
-
Third judge rejects DOJ's Epstein records request
Speed Read Judge Richard Berman was the third and final federal judge to reject DOJ petitions to unseal Epstein-related grand jury material
-
Texas OKs gerrymander sought by Trump
Speed Read The House approved a new congressional map aimed at flipping Democratic-held seats to Republican control
-
Israel starts Gaza assault, approves West Bank plan
Speed Read Israel forces pushed into the outskirts of Gaza City and Netanyahu's government gave approval for a settlement to cut the occupied Palestinian territory in two
-
Court says labor board's structure unconstitutional
Speed Read The ruling has broad implications for labor rights enforcement in Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi
-
Feds seek harsh charges in DC arrests, except for rifles
Speed Read The DOJ said 465 arrests had been made in D.C. since Trump federalized law enforcement there two weeks ago
-
Trump taps Missouri AG to help lead FBI
Speed Read Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey has been appointed FBI co-deputy director, alongside Dan Bongino
-
Trump warms to Kyiv security deal in summit
Speed Read Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called Trump's support for guaranteeing his country's security 'a major step forward'