Republican Florida Rep. Byron Donalds said Friday on Newsmax that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is getting a taste of its own medicine as the Trump administration launches a full-scale audit.
Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency aide Gavin Kliger visited the IRS headquarters Thursday to assess the agency’s operations and review future plans and risks of each business unit. In an appearance on “Rob Schmitt Tonight,” Donalds said he applauds DOGE’s initiative as overdue accountability.
“If this is the only thing that gets accomplished, it’ll be mission accomplished for Donald Trump and for his team because for far too long the IRS has had no problem peering into the books of every American, rich or poor, middle-income America,” Donalds said. “They love doing this stuff. But it’s time for them to be held accountable to make sure that everything that they’re paying for is fully accounted for.”
Donalds also criticized the Democrats, suggesting they exhibit selective concern about bureaucratic overreach.
“Let’s be very clear to the Democrats who are all concerned about the bureaucratic state. Elon Musk is going over to the Department of Defense as well,” Donalds said. “President Trump has a mission, and that is to make sure that our government is efficient and that it gets out of the way of the American people so that our country can be great again, and so we’re going to examine everything.”
The comprehensive audit, Donalds said, is not merely about fiscal accountability as it aims to promote a leaner government.
“Unlike the Democrats, we’re not going to pick and choose what gets the spotlight. Everything’s going to be examined. Everything’s going to be addressed,” Donalds added. “And it’s to the betterment of the American people because if we have an efficient government that spends less money then that helps every American when it comes to price stability and being able to borrow money.”
Senior IRS officials received an email directive to pinpoint and terminate all contracts deemed “non-essential.” The General Services Administration (GSA) characterizes these non-essential contracts as those primarily producing reports, research, coaching, or other artifacts.
“Consistent with the goals and directives of the Trump administration to eliminate waste, reduce spending, and increase efficiency, GSA has taken the first steps in a government-wide initiative to eliminate non-essential consulting contracts,” the email said, according to Reuters.
A July Pew Research poll said that the IRS holds the lowest favorability rating among all agencies, with 50% of Americans expressing a negative view. This sentiment is more pronounced among Republicans than Democrats, partly because of ongoing allegations that the IRS has targeted conservative groups applying for tax-exempt status.
The IRS under the Biden-Harris administration approved approximately $2.4 billion in automatic stimulus payments set for distribution to qualified Americans by late January. According to a Dec. 20 press release, the IRS is distributing these funds to Americans who failed to claim the Recovery Rebate Credit on their 2021 tax returns and did not receive the economic stimulus payments issued during the COVID-19 pandemic. This announcement was made as former President Joe Biden’s term nears its end.
Featured Image Credit: Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America
