(The Hill) – Former Rep. Billy Long (R-Mo.) is being replaced as commissioner of the IRS less than two months after he was confirmed by the Senate, a White House official confirmed to The Hill.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent will lead the agency on an acting basis, the official confirmed.
Long was confirmed in June in a 53-44 party-line vote, with all Democrats voting in opposition to his confirmation. Long is a strong ally of President Trump, but he drew criticism from Democrats for his lack of experience and background with tax policy.
The New York Times first reported on Long’s exit.
Trump has overseen a sweeping purge of the staff at the IRS, as he and other Republicans had regularly criticized spending in legislation during the Biden administration that allowed for the hiring of thousands of additional workers to crackdown on tax cheats to collect more revenue for the government.
The National Taxpayer Advocate’s mid-year report found that the IRS’s taxpayer services division was expected to lose roughly 22 percent of its workforce.
Long was the fifth individual to lead the IRS since the start of Trump’s second term in January. Four others served on an acting basis.
Senate Democrats had launched an inquiry last December into Long, shortly after he was first nominated for the position, over his promotion of a pandemic-era tax credit that has been riddled with fraudulent claims.
Long served in Congress from 2011 to 2023, and at one sponsored legislation to abolish the IRS. He previously worked as an auctioneer and real estate broker.
The IRS did not respond to a request for comment.
Updated at 3:32 p.m. EDT
