Former Representative Billy Long of Missouri, a staunch Republican ally of President Trump, is now reportedly stepping down as commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service less than two months after his Senate confirmation, the White House confirmed Friday.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent will assume leadership of the agency on an acting basis while the administration prepares to nominate Mr. Long for a diplomatic post.
“It is a honor to serve my friend President Trump and I am excited to take on my new role as the ambassador to Iceland,” Mr. Long said in a statement released by the White House. “I am thrilled to answer his call to service and deeply committed to advancing his bold agenda. Exciting times ahead!”
Mr. Long’s appointment to the IRS, confirmed in June on a 53-44 party-line vote, was opposed by every Senate Democrat, many of whom criticized his lack of formal experience in tax policy.
Yet his confirmation reflected the President’s preference for loyalists willing to challenge the entrenched bureaucracy that has long defined the nation’s tax-collecting agency.
The decision to replace Mr. Long comes as part of what officials and allies describe as a deliberate restructuring of the IRS. President Trump has made no secret of his dissatisfaction with the agency’s direction under the Biden administration, when Democrats approved legislation that expanded its budget to hire thousands of new employees.
Republicans sharply criticized that expansion as an unnecessary buildup aimed at aggressive enforcement against ordinary taxpayers, rather than a targeted crackdown on genuine bad actors.
Since returning to the White House, Mr. Trump has overseen what some have characterized as a sweeping “purge” of IRS leadership and senior staff.
The administration’s approach has focused on trimming what it sees as wasteful spending and recalibrating enforcement priorities in a way that protects middle-class families and small businesses from overreach.
The scale of change is significant. According to the National Taxpayer Advocate’s midyear report, the IRS’s taxpayer services division is projected to lose roughly 22 percent of its workforce — a reduction that supporters argue is overdue in an agency often criticized for inefficiency and poor customer service.
Mr. Long is the fifth person to lead the IRS since the start of President Trump’s second term in January. Four others held the position on an acting basis, reflecting the administration’s willingness to rotate leadership until the right person is in place.
While his tenure as commissioner was brief, Mr. Long leaves the role for a high-profile diplomatic assignment that he has embraced with enthusiasm. The move underscores Mr. Trump’s habit of rewarding close allies with significant posts — a pattern his supporters say ensures that key positions are filled by those who share his vision for reform at home and strength abroad.
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