President Trump recently dismissed Billy Long as the head of the IRS, just two months after his appointment. Long’s leadership has drawn criticism as the agency has seen six different leaders this year alone.
According to sources, Long had conflicts with long-standing Treasury leaders and did not concern himself with the agency’s goal of implementing tax policy without political entanglements.
His departure means that the IRS will have its seventh commissioner for the year, with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stepping in temporarily.
“They’re going through some turbulence now,” a source mentioned. “There’s still a lot of uncertainty about what’s coming next.”
Long’s selection to lead the IRS was controversial. The agency is tasked with enforcing tax laws and collecting revenue. Before this role, Long, a former Republican House member from Missouri, had experience as an auctioneer and real estate broker. His scrutiny of pandemic-related tax credits coincided with numerous fraudulent claims.
Interestingly, he didn’t last long, working for less than two months after being confirmed in a partisan Senate vote in June.
Sources indicated that dissatisfaction has been mounting among financial officials regarding IRS leadership since Long’s arrival, and there were instances where his comments needed clarification.
One notable moment came during a meeting when he announced that the tax filing season would commence in February, a deviation from typical expectations discussed earlier.
Just moments after announcing his IRS departure, Long stated on social media that tax season “starts at a customary period around MLK Day.”
“The team there is competent and understands their work,” shared a long-term Treasury official.
A Treasury official characterized Long’s situation as “impossible” and felt it was necessary to address it.
Reports have surfaced that Long’s move to ambassador was partly due to tensions between the IRS and the White House over the use of private tax data to monitor undocumented immigrants.
“I believe the president sees Billy having a long tenure as the ambassador to Iceland,” said White House reporter Carolyn Leavitt during a press briefing. “The president holds a lot of admiration for Billy Long and thinks he will be effective in this role.”
A Treasury spokesperson commended Long’s “enthusiasm and new perspective” for the federal government, stating that candidates for the next IRS commissioner would be announced soon.
Trump is likely to name a replacement shortly. However, with Bessent already involved in macroeconomic issues and trade negotiations, it may be challenging for him to manage the IRS on a temporary basis.
The incoming IRS commissioner will also face the tax season for the first time following the enactment of a significant settlement bill, which extended the 2017 tax cuts and made various adjustments to taxes and credits.
“I desire stability in leadership,” a source expressed. “It fosters an environment where organizations can operate efficiently and reduce errors.”
This transformation at the IRS occurs amidst Democratic concerns over Trump’s decision to replace Erica Mantelfer as the Bureau of Labor Statistics commissioner with a conservative economist.
This change comes in the wake of an employment report from early August, which indicated lower-than-expected hiring for July and significant downward revisions for previous months.
While Trump and his supporters argue that these changes will enhance transparency and accuracy, critics contend that Mantelfer had little influence over the report’s indications. Concerns have been raised that such actions may undermine the reliability of government data and adversely affect both businesses and consumers.
“In just a few months, Trump and his team have already compromised taxpayer services, weaponized IRS data against innocent individuals, and set the stage for chaos in the upcoming filing season,” stated the Senate Finance Committee’s Ranking Member. “This is typical of Trump: selecting incompetent people for vital roles and allowing problems to accumulate.”
