Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is pushing forward with a controversial initiative to consolidate IRS taxpayer data through a unified API system, according to exclusive reporting from Wired. The ambitious plan, which would create a single cloud-based platform for accessing sensitive taxpayer information, has raised alarms among lawmakers and tax administration experts.
The project, internally referred to as the “mega API,” aims to aggregate taxpayer data currently scattered across multiple IRS systems. DOGE operatives Sam Corcos, a healthcare technology executive serving as a special adviser to the Treasury Secretary, and 25-year-old software engineer Gavin Kliger are leading the effort. They’ve organized a 30-day “hackathon” that will bring together IRS engineers and Palantir Technologies personnel to develop the system.
IRS officials familiar with the proposal have expressed serious concerns about both the timeline and technical feasibility. One agency employee warned that attempting to complete such a complex system within 30 days could “cripple” critical IRS operations. The proposed system would ultimately provide access to Americans’ most sensitive personal data, including Social Security numbers, tax returns, and employment records.
The initiative has already drawn political opposition. Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) recently praised the IRS for rejecting an earlier DOGE proposal to share taxpayer data across multiple government agencies. In a March 14 letter, Wyden referenced reporting suggesting the Trump administration might seek to use IRS data to support its immigration enforcement efforts.
This latest DOGE project comes as the team continues expanding its access to federal systems. Since January, DOGE personnel have gained entry to databases at the Federal Trade Commission, Social Security Administration, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
Tax administration experts question whether the ambitious technical goals can be achieved without compromising system stability or data security. “What they’re proposing isn’t just a coding challenge – it would require completely rearchitecting some of the government’s most complex systems,” said former IRS CIO John Harrison. “These systems handle hundreds of millions of sensitive records, and changes need to be approached with extreme caution.”
The Treasury Department appears divided on the proposal, with some officials supporting the modernization effort while others warn of potential system failures. The White House has not commented publicly, though sources indicate President Trump generally supports DOGE’s government efficiency initiatives.
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