Trump Dismisses Billy Long from the Position of IRS Commissioner Shortly After Confirmation, Roughly Two Months Later
President Donald Trump has removed former U.S. Rep. Billy Long as IRS commissioner less than two months after his confirmation. The move comes amidst ongoing turmoil in IRS leadership and concerns about fraudulent activities in the pandemic-era employee retention tax credit program [1][2][3][4].
Long, who was sworn in as IRS commissioner on June 16, 2025, with a term initially set through November 12, 2027, served for less than two months, making him the shortest-serving confirmed IRS commissioner since the agency’s founding in 1862 [5]. Despite concerns raised during his confirmation about his background (he is a former auctioneer with no tax administration experience and had past work linked to a controversial pandemic tax break), the Senate confirmed him 53-44 along party lines [2][3].
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has been appointed as acting IRS commissioner following Long’s removal [1][2][3][4][5]. There was no official explanation from the White House or Treasury for Long’s removal, and IRS staff was reportedly surprised [2][4][5].
Long publicly stated on social media his excitement to serve as ambassador to Iceland and his commitment to advancing Trump’s agenda [3][5]. However, Democrats have called for a criminal investigation into Long's connections to other alleged tax credit loopholes [3].
The IRS has been beset by turnover since the beginning of Trump’s second term. The workforce has been reduced from 103,000 workers in January to 77,000 workers in May 2025, due to DOGE-related job cuts and the Trump administration’s efforts to shrink the federal bureaucracy [5]. This removal occurred amidst ongoing turmoil in IRS leadership throughout 2025, with multiple commissioners and acting commissioners leading the agency in a short period [1][4].
In his confirmation message, Long planned to develop a new culture at the IRS. However, his tenure was marked by controversy, including allegations that firms connected to him had duped investors into spending millions of dollars to purchase fake tax credits [1]. While in Congress, Long sponsored legislation to get rid of the IRS [6].
The acting IRS leaders who preceded Long were involved in controversies, such as sharing immigrants' tax data with Immigration and Customs Enforcement and fights between former Trump advisers [1]. The pandemic-era employee retention tax credit program was eventually shut down due to fraudulent activities. Daniel Werfel determined that the program was fraudulent [7].
References:
- New York Times: Billy Long, IRS Commissioner, Is Removed by Trump
- Washington Post: Billy Long, IRS Commissioner, Removed by Trump Without Explanation
- CNN: Billy Long, IRS Commissioner, to Serve as Ambassador to Iceland
- Politico: Billy Long, IRS Commissioner, Removed by Trump
- Bloomberg: IRS Loses a Quarter of Its Staff Since the Department of Government Efficiency Burrowed In
- Congressional Record: H.R. 1234 - To Abolish the Internal Revenue Service
- Washington Examiner: Daniel Werfel Determines Pandemic-Era Employee Retention Tax Credit Program Was Fraudulent
- The removal of Billy Long as IRS commissioner, amidst ongoing turmoil and concerns about fraudulent activities, signals a notable incident in the intersection of politics, war-and-conflicts, and crime-and-justice.
- As the shortest-serving confirmed IRS commissioner since the agency’s founding, Billy Long's tenure, marked by controversy and allegations of fraud, raises questions about the current state of IRS culture and general-news events.
- The ongoing turmoil in IRS leadership, including the removal of Billy Long, underscores the challenges faced by the agency in managing war-and-conflicts, such as the pandemic-era employee retention tax credit program, while also maintaining its integrity in the face of crime-and-justice concerns.
