President Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is driving a historic downsizing of the IRS. The agency, employing roughly 90,000 workers nationwide, faces a reckoning as the administration targets bureaucratic excess. Taxpayers have long suffered under an overstaffed system that delays refunds and harasses honest citizens.
The plan isn’t timid. Layoffs began February 20, 2025, with 6,000 employees let go in Denver alone, as reported by AP. The IRS is also offering buyouts under a “deferred resignation program” to shrink its ranks further, proving Trump means business about reining in federal sprawl.
Not everyone gets a pass, though. IRS workers critical to the 2025 tax season can’t take buyouts until mid-May, after the filing deadline. This ensures returns get processed, showing the administration balances efficiency with responsibility to hardworking Americans.
The cuts have a bigger purpose. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem requested IRS staff be reassigned to immigration enforcement, a priority conservatives cheer. Moving personnel to secure the border reflects Trump’s pledge to put America’s safety first, not endless tax audits.
Former IRS Commissioner John Koskinen whined to the New York Times that slashing resources makes government “less effective.” But conservatives know the real waste is an agency bloated beyond necessity, chasing law-abiding citizens while illegals flood the border unchecked.
The layoffs hit hard and fast. Tayauzhane Sanders and Jasmine Williams, ex-IRS workers in Denver, walked out February 20, 2025, as DOGE’s axe fell. Their exit marks the start of a leaner IRS, one that stops draining taxpayer dollars on redundant jobs.
Trump’s vision is clear. He told Congress Tuesday night, “We’re not going to do it any longer,” slamming subsidies to foreign nations while America’s own house needs order. Cutting IRS fat aligns with his broader push—tariffs, deregulation, and border security—to rebuild national strength.
Republicans see this as a win for the little guy. The IRS has ballooned under past administrations, targeting small businesses and families with audits while big corporations skate. Trimming the agency refocuses it on fairness, not harassment.
The timing sends a message. With tax season underway, Trump’s team isn’t waiting to act. Laying off thousands mid-process shows urgency—government won’t keep growing on the backs of American workers who just want their refunds on time.
Allies like Noem see the bigger picture. Reallocating IRS staff to DHS tackles illegal immigration head-on, a crisis conservatives have demanded action on for years. It’s a practical shift: fewer paper-pushers, more border defenders.
Critics cry dysfunction, but the real dysfunction was an IRS too big to function for taxpayers. Six former commissioners griped in the New York Times about resource cuts, yet they ignored how inefficiency thrived under their watch. Trump’s fix is long overdue.
Congressional Republicans stand ready to back this. The House cheered Trump’s Tuesday address, where he tied IRS cuts to broader economic renewal. It’s a signal: government serves the people, not the other way around.
America’s heartland demands results, not bloated agencies. Trump’s IRS overhaul delivers—slashing waste, securing borders, and protecting taxpayers. This is the bold leadership conservatives voted for, and it’s just the beginning.
