08.08.2025 22:48

Just weeks after his swearing-in ceremony, Billy Long's tenure as IRS Commissioner has abruptly ended. The White House confirmed this development, initially reported by The New York Times, marking a significant shift in leadership at the agency.

The appointment of Long, announced by President Trump in December 2024, was controversial from the outset. His nomination came while Danny Werfel still held the position, with a term that would have normally extended until late 2027. Werfel's subsequent resignation in January 2025, before Long's confirmation, triggered a cascade of interim appointments.

Following Werfel's departure, Doug O'Donnell served as Acting Commissioner, only to be succeeded by Melanie Krause. Krause's resignation in April 2025, following a controversial data-sharing agreement with ICE, further destabilized the agency's leadership. A brief two-day stint by Gary Shapley as Acting Commissioner preceded Michael Faulkender's appointment, leading up to Long's ultimately short-lived time at the helm. In total, six individuals held the Commissioner's position or its acting equivalent since the beginning of the year. Scott Bessent, also serving as Secretary of the Treasury, will now assume the role of Acting Commissioner.

This leadership churn isn't the agency's only challenge. A dramatic 25% reduction in the IRS workforce, dropping from approximately 103,000 employees in January 2025 to roughly 77,000 by May 2025, further compounds the instability facing the agency. These staffing reductions, sourced from internet resources, represent a considerable blow to the IRS's operational capacity.