Though some social media users interpreted Elon Musk's X post as meaning the service was closed, its website remained active as of Feb. 7.

In early February 2025, claims emerged that the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) led by Elon Musk, had terminated, or planned to terminate, a program — Direct File — run by the IRS that allows (some) citizens to file individual tax returns for free:

Elon Musk, head of the chaos-causing Department of Government Efficiency, made an assertion this week that raised questions in some people’s minds about the status of the IRS Direct File program. That program enables tax filers in 25 states,

Musk said that 18F agency that supports free Direct File tax filing for Americans has been deleted – but it's still accepting returns.

The IRS’ free tax-preparation program remains a free option for taxpayers this year, but the fate of a group of government technologists that helped develop it is less certain.

Elon Musk created confusion on Monday with an X post that led some people to believe he had eliminated an agency that supported a free program used by Americans

Elon Musk posted Monday on his social media site that he had “deleted” 18F, a government agency that worked on technology projects such as the IRS’ Direct File program.

Billionaire tech mogul Elon Musk posted on his social media site that he has “deleted” 18F, a government agency that worked on technology projects such as the IRS’s Direct File program

Elon Musk wrote on X on Monday that 18F, the digital consulting team who developed the IRS Direct File system, had been deleted.

Billionaire tech mogul Elon Musk posted on his social media site that he has “deleted” 18F, a government agency that worked on technology projects such as the IRS's Direct File program