Elon Musk stirred controversy once again with a viral poll on X, asking users if his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) should audit the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The results were overwhelmingly in favor, with more than 90 percent of respondents supporting the move—including 40 percent who chose the option “F Yes.” The poll quickly trended online, with many users debating the implications of Musk’s growing role in government oversight.
At the time of publishing, the poll had gotten nearly one million responses.
Why It Matters
The latest development is part of Musk’s broader push to overhaul government agencies through DOGE, an entity he has been leading since being appointed a “special government employee” by President Donald Trump. According to its website, DOGE has been created to “decentralize the narrative around government spending, giving power back to the people to hold government entities accountable for their financial decisions.”
DOGE has already gained control over key financial operations, including the Treasury Department’s payment system, which distributes Social Security and Medicare benefits. According to DOGE, the organization has saved the federal government $1 billion a day by freezing hiring, eliminating diversity initiatives, and halting payments to foreign organizations.
The move to audit the IRS aligns with previous efforts by Musk to challenge federal tax collection practices, including his past criticisms of government spending and the Direct File program, a free tax filing initiative. DOGE’s potential scrutiny of the IRS could add to existing concerns about the agency’s funding and its role in tax enforcement.
What to Know
Of the nearly one million respondents to Musk’s poll, 52 percent responded “yes,” 41 percent responded “F yes,” and nearly 7 percent responded “no.” Musk currently has nearly 216 million followers on X. Later in the day, “F Yes” was trending on X, with about 54,000 posts including the phrase within four hours.
Musk’s poll was posted just a day after he claimed to have “deleted” the government team responsible for Direct File, a program designed to allow millions of Americans to file taxes directly with the IRS without using paid services. The claim created confusion, with some taxpayers questioning whether the program was still operational. The IRS later confirmed that Direct File remains functional, despite Musk’s statements.
Meanwhile, DOGE’s growing influence within the Treasury Department has raised alarm among policymakers. Treasury officials have expressed concerns about Musk’s aggressive cost-cutting measures, with some warning of potential disruptions to essential government services. Critics argue that Musk’s moves lack congressional oversight, potentially creating a constitutional crisis.
What People Are Saying
The reaction to Musk’s poll has been mixed. Supporters argue that auditing the IRS is necessary to increase transparency and eliminate inefficiencies.
On January 31, Musk posted on X that, “The @DOGE team discovered, among other things, that payment approval officers at Treasury were instructed always to approve payments, even to known fraudulent or terrorist groups.”
Representative Nancy Mace of South Carolina also took to X. “The IRS is corrupt. Plain and simple.”
One X user named Christopher Randolph responded to the poll and posted, “F Yes audit the IRS. Once the audit is completed and made public, Trump will have a solid case to abolish it and transition to the [External Revenue Service].”
Another X user named Sassafrass84 posted, “Can you delete the IRS before April 15th? Asking for all Americans.”
What’s Next
While the X poll itself holds no legislative power, the overwhelming response may further embolden Musk to expand DOGE’s oversight of government agencies. Lawmakers are now discussing whether Musk’s role in the Trump administration should be subject to stricter checks, with some calling for hearings on the scope of his authority. Meanwhile, the IRS has yet to respond to Musk’s proposal, and it remains unclear whether DOGE will take any formal steps to pursue an audit.
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