Trump abruptly dismisses Billy Long from his position as IRS commissioner, barely two months after his approval
In a shocking turn of events, former U.S. Representative Billy Long was dismissed as IRS commissioner less than two months after his confirmation by President Trump. The firing was reportedly due to Long’s alleged refusal to provide tax information to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) about individuals suspected of living in the U.S. illegally, despite a formal IRS-DHS data sharing agreement established in April 2025 amid legal challenges.
Prior to his IRS appointment, Long had no background in tax administration and worked with a firm that distributed a fraudulent pandemic-era employee retention tax credit. This tax credit program was shut down after then-IRS Commissioner Daniel Werfel determined it to be fraudulent. Democrats criticized Long for connections to schemes involving fake tax credits, alleging that firms connected to him duped investors into spending millions on fraudulent tax credits, and called for a criminal investigation.
Long's dismissal continues a pattern of rapid turnover in IRS leadership during 2025, with Long being the sixth commissioner appointed that year. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent was named acting IRS commissioner following Long’s removal.
In his message to IRS employees after being confirmed, Long talked about his plans for his first few months in office, a milestone he did not reach. The Senate confirmed Long on a 53-44 vote despite Democrats' concerns about his past work for a firm that pitched a fraud-ridden coronavirus pandemic-era tax break and about campaign contributions he received after Trump nominated him.
The IRS underwent a series of job cuts this year, with the workforce being reduced from 103,000 workers in January to 77,000 workers in May 2025. Most of the reductions came from the DOGE's deferred resignation program.
The turmoil at the IRS only compounds with Long's ouster. Democrats called for a criminal investigation into Long's connections to other alleged tax credit loopholes. The acting leaders who preceded Long in the role included one who resigned over a deal between the IRS and the Department of Homeland Security to share immigrants' tax data with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Another acting IRS commissioner's appointment led to a fight between former Trump adviser Elon Musk and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. The IRS has been beset by turnover since the beginning of Trump's second term. Billy Long, who had previously sponsored legislation to eliminate the IRS while he was in Congress, was the shortest-tenured IRS commissioner confirmed by the Senate since the position was created in 1862.
- The unfolding events at the IRS, including the dismissal of Billy Long, have sparked calls for a criminal investigation, not only due to his connections to fraudulent tax credits but also over potential policy violations in the sharing of immigrants' tax data with other departments and law enforcement agencies, as was seen in the past with other acting commissioners.
- As the IRS navigates through the oftentimes tumultuous world of politics and policy-and-legislation, the recent departures of commissioners and the ongoing general-news stories related to war-and-conflicts, crime-and-justice, and a depleted workforce add an additional layer of complexity, further highlighting the need for effective leadership in this critical agency.
