Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) uncovered $4.7 trillion in untraceable United States Treasury payments, which had been linked to a budget line without a designated Treasury Access Symbol (TAS).
DOGE announced that many payments made by the Treasury Department were missing the TAS, a critical field used to track the source of funds. This omission made it nearly impossible to trace the payments.
The agency revealed that the TAS field had been optional for payments totaling around $4.7 trillion, a situation that was rectified last Saturday when it was made a mandatory field, offering greater transparency about the flow of funds.
DOGE expressed its gratitude to the U.S. Treasury for helping identify the missing field, marking a significant step toward improving financial tracking.
In addition, reports reveal that Musk is seeking access to a classified IRS system containing personal financial records of millions of Americans.
This request, currently under review, would grant DOGE extensive access to IRS databases and systems, potentially including the Integrated Data Retrieval System (IDRS). This system is used by IRS employees to manage taxpayer records, update information, and issue official notices.
The possibility of DOGE accessing such sensitive data has raised concerns, as the system holds personal identification numbers, bank account details, and other financial information.
IRS officials have expressed deep reservations about the request, noting the serious risks associated with the potential misuse or wrongful disclosure of taxpayer information.
Experts have cautioned that granting political appointees access to IRS databases is highly unusual and poses a risk to taxpayer privacy. Nina Olson, a former taxpayer advocate, warned that unauthorized access to this sensitive data could lead to serious violations of privacy.
Despite these concerns, a senior Trump administration official defended the request, asserting that DOGE’s mission is to reduce waste, fraud, and abuse while enhancing government performance to better serve the public. The official emphasized that the request is being made legally and with the necessary security clearances.
