Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has accused the Biden administration of singling him out with a last-minute IRS audit, revealing that he and his wife were notified of a $33,000 tax bill. Hegseth, who posted an image of the notice online, questioned whether the audit was a politically motivated attack.
Of course the outgoing Biden IRS rushed an “audit” of the incoming SecDef. Total sham.
The party of “norms” and “decency” strikes again. We will never back down. pic.twitter.com/coW1UpFPrD
— Pete Hegseth (@PeteHegseth) February 17, 2025
“Of course the outgoing Biden IRS rushed an ‘audit’ of the incoming SecDef. Total sham,” Hegseth wrote on X, suggesting that the timing of the review was no coincidence.
The IRS has yet to clarify the reasoning behind the audit, leaving speculation about whether it was routine or if there were specific concerns about Hegseth’s filings. Cabinet nominees often face scrutiny over their financial records, with some — like former Sen. Tom Daschle — being forced to withdraw from their nominations over tax issues.
JUST IN:
The Biden regime's IRS rushed to audit Pete and Jennifer Hegseth.
We need the DOJ to investigate who called the shots on this! https://t.co/vbU9MW9Jr5
— Breanna Morello (@BreannaMorello) February 17, 2025
Hegseth’s confirmation was one of the most contested of Trump’s new administration. His lack of prior government experience, along with various past allegations, led to a heated debate before his eventual confirmation by a 51-50 Senate vote.
The IRS has long faced accusations of political bias, with conservatives citing the agency’s targeting of right-leaning organizations under Obama. In another high-profile case, journalist Matt Taibbi was visited by IRS agents in 2023 just as he was set to testify before Congress about censorship.
DOGE head Elon Musk, responding to Hegseth’s audit claim, wrote, “They love the low blows,” hinting that his agency may be looking into potential political targeting within the IRS.
