President Donald Trump has never been shy about his disdain for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), often criticizing the agency for what he sees as overreach and excessive taxation. But now, a new report from ProPublica reveals that the Trump administration has taken its war on the IRS to a whole new level, with dropped audits and a skeleton staff crippling the agency’s ability to enforce tax laws.
According to the report, the number of audits conducted by the IRS has dropped significantly under the Trump administration. In 2010, the IRS audited 1.1 million individual tax returns. By 2017, that number had dropped to just 362,000. This decline in audits is particularly troubling given the fact that the IRS estimates that for every $1 spent on audits, it collects $4 in additional revenue.
The drop in audits can be attributed in part to budget cuts at the IRS. The agency’s budget has been steadily declining for years, with Congress cutting its funding by nearly $2 billion since 2010. As a result, the IRS has been forced to reduce its staff, leading to a skeleton crew of auditors who are overwhelmed with the workload.
But it’s not just budget cuts that are to blame for the decline in audits. The Trump administration has also implemented policies that have made it more difficult for the IRS to go after tax evaders. For example, the administration has significantly increased the threshold for audits of wealthy individuals, making it easier for them to avoid scrutiny.
In addition, the Trump administration has pushed for a massive overhaul of the tax code, with the passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act in 2017. This sweeping tax reform has made it even more difficult for the IRS to enforce tax laws, with many loopholes and deductions that can be exploited by wealthy individuals and corporations.
The consequences of the Trump administration’s war on the IRS are already being felt. Tax experts warn that the decline in audits and enforcement could lead to an increase in tax evasion, costing the government billions of dollars in lost revenue. In addition, the lack of audits could erode public trust in the tax system, leading to a decrease in voluntary compliance.
Overall, the Trump administration’s actions have severely weakened the IRS’s ability to enforce tax laws and collect the revenue needed to fund essential government programs. As the 2020 election approaches, it will be crucial for lawmakers to address these issues and ensure that the IRS has the resources it needs to effectively enforce tax laws and hold tax evaders accountable.
