Newly appointed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has claimed that the outgoing Biden administration weaponized the IRS against him, subjecting his family to a rushed audit just as he stepped into his new role. Hegseth shared an image of an IRS letter on social media, stating that he and his wife owed over $33,000 in unpaid taxes.

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. “The party of ‘norms’ and ‘decency’ strikes again. We will never back down.”

The IRS has not commented on the audit, and it remains unclear whether it was initiated due to routine tax concerns or targeted scrutiny. Hegseth’s tax history was a subject of discussion during his confirmation hearings, where Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) questioned his financial dealings while working for veterans’ nonprofits.

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

The move has drawn comparisons to past instances where the IRS has been accused of politically motivated actions. Under the Obama administration, conservative groups were targeted for extra scrutiny, while journalist Matt Taibbi was visited by IRS agents in 2023 on the same day he was set to testify before Congress about government censorship.

Hegseth’s appointment has been controversial, with critics questioning his qualifications and pointing to past allegations against him. Despite this, he was confirmed in a 51-50 Senate vote and has since joined President Donald Trump in revoking security clearances for officials seen as opposing his administration’s policies.

Elon Musk, who heads the Department of Government Efficiency, responded to Hegseth’s post by remarking, “They love the low blows.”