February 20,2025

Wyden Statement on Trump and Musk’s IRS Layoffs Gutting Tax Enforcement on the Ultra-Wealthy

Washington, D.C. — Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today issued the following statement on Trump and Musk’s reported purge of tax enforcement staff at the IRS:

“Donald Trump is a known tax cheat, and he and Elon Musk clearly believe they are above the law, so it shouldn’t come as any surprise their IRS layoffs will hobble tax enforcement among the ultra-wealthy.

“These cuts will be devastating to ongoing efforts to make sure that the ultra-wealthy and big, profitable firms pay a fair share, including crackdowns on tax cheating involving corporate jets and millionaires and billionaires who don’t even bother to tax returns like everybody else. As a result of these layoffs, the burden of tax enforcement will be skewed much more toward working families and small businesses.

“It’s outrageous that Trump, Musk, and Republicans are gutting tax enforcement and giving handouts to the ultra-wealthy at the exact same time they’re gearing up to attack Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. This is a plan to wipe out the middle class and push tens of millions of Americans into misery all for the benefit of people like Donald Trump and Elon Musk.

“If anybody had lingering questions, this is proof that Trump and Musk are not after ‘efficiency’ in government, they’re enacting a destructive and radical agenda they hid from the public during the election. These layoffs are a guaranteed way to drive up deficits and worsen the fiscal health of the country.

“I’m extremely concerned that these layoffs are a backdoor way for Republicans to shut down the free Direct File program and put American taxpayers back at the mercy of the tax software giants who’ve been ripping them off for too long. Furthermore, there is no doubt in my mind that Trump, Musk, and Republicans in Congress will make further IRS cuts that will devastate taxpayer service in the weeks and months ahead. When that happens, Americans can blame Trump, Musk, and Republicans for every additional day their refunds are delayed and every additional minute they spend waiting on hold with the IRS.”

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