President Donald Trump is removing Billy Long from his role as head of the Internal Revenue Service less than two months after his Senate confirmation, according to multiple people familiar with the decision. Long, a former Republican congressman and longtime Trump ally, is expected to be nominated for an ambassadorship instead.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent will serve as acting commissioner until a permanent replacement is named, a senior administration official confirmed. This marks the sixth leadership change at the IRS in 2025. Sources said Bessent and Long clashed at times, with Long telling colleagues he needed Bessent’s approval for nearly every decision. Others noted that Long occasionally got ahead of official announcements, including telling tax professionals last month that the next filing season would start later than usual — a statement the IRS later called premature.
Bessent had previously supported Long’s nomination and pushed for his Senate confirmation, which passed along party lines in June. Still, the agency has faced significant turmoil under the Trump administration. More than 25,000 employees — about a quarter of the workforce — have departed since January, according to the Treasury’s inspector general for tax administration. Several acting commissioners quit earlier this year as the administration pressured the IRS to share taxpayer data with immigration authorities, breaking longstanding confidentiality policies.
In one case, acting commissioner Gary Shapley was replaced within days after Bessent objected to Elon Musk being installed in the role without his input, The New York Times previously reported.
Long’s appointment was unusual given his limited tax policy experience. In Congress, he backed legislation to abolish the IRS and promoted a tax credit flagged by the agency as prone to fraud. During his short tenure, Long toured IRS offices nationwide, addressed the National Auction Association conference, placed two senior IRS officials on administrative leave, and publicly endorsed the idea of “purging” parts of the workforce. He also sent staff-wide emails allowing early Friday departures, including one offering a 70-minute head start in honor of his 70th birthday.
Neither Long nor the IRS responded to requests for comment.
