Billy Long removed by Trump as IRS leader after just under two months in office

Trump to Replace IRS Chief Billy Long After Brief Tenure

WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump is set to remove former Missouri Republican Congressman Billy Long from his role as head of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) just two months after his confirmation, as announced by the White House on Friday.

According to officials, Treasury Secretary Scott Bescent will take over the commissioner position at the agency responsible for enforcing tax laws and collecting revenues. Long’s unexpected exit was first noted by the New York Times.

On social media, Long mentioned that Trump would appoint him as the U.S. ambassador to Iceland, a statement later confirmed by the White House.

“It’s truly an honor to serve President Trump, and I’m thrilled to step into this new role as ambassador to Iceland. I’m eager to embrace his vision and committed to advancing his bold agenda. Exciting times ahead!” Long shared.

His departure coincides with the IRS facing changes in tax law prompted by a recent bill that was supported by Senate Republicans and signed by Trump last month. These changes include temporary tax credits for certain workers and permanent modifications to child tax credits and some incentives for clean energy.

Since Trump began his second term, the IRS has lost over 11,000 employees—around 11% of its workforce—due to delayed resignations or other issues, as reported on May 2.

Confirmed in June

Long served Missouri in the House of Representatives from 2011 to 2023 and later transitioned to a career as a talk radio host. He was confirmed by the U.S. Senate with a vote of 53-44 on June 12.

Throughout his confirmation, Long faced scrutiny from Senate Democrats over alleged disinformation regarding tax credits and questioned his previous work with two firms, Capital Edge Strategies and White River. They also highlighted donations Trump received during his earlier Senate campaign following Long’s nomination announcement in December.

Long denied any wrongdoing and received solid support from all Senate Republicans, including Idaho’s Treasury Chair Mike Crapo.

“One Corruption Bomb After Another”

Senator Ron Wyden, a prominent Democrat on the committee, noted that the confirmation seemed destined for failure but that all Senate Republicans still backed Long. “He didn’t last even two months in the job. It’s worth mentioning that there were no positions available when Trump nominated Long. Meanwhile, Danny Werfel, a highly regarded leader, remained effective for years,” he stated.

After Long’s confirmation, Wyden remarked that the vote should have been an obvious “no” for Republicans. He expressed dismay at Long’s short-lived tenure, calling it a “corruption bomb.”