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President Donald Trump on Friday removed Internal Revenue Service Commissioner Billy Long, just two months after he was sworn in, and temporarily assigned Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to lead the tax agency, according to three sources familiar with the decision.
The abrupt shake-up comes days after Trump’s latest tariffs took effect and a month after he signed sweeping tax cuts and revisions into law. Long confirmed his departure to NBC News, saying he would become the U.S. ambassador to Iceland.
“It is an honor to serve my friend President Trump, and I am excited to take on my new role… Exciting times ahead!” Long wrote in a text message.
Bessent will be the sixth person this year to oversee the IRS under Trump. The agency, which falls under the Treasury Department, has faced significant staff reductions as part of cuts driven by the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, led by Elon Musk.
The Treasury Department thanked Long for “his commitment to public service and the American people” and said a permanent commissioner will be named “at the appropriate time.”
Long, a former Missouri congressman and auctioneer, had drawn attention just a day before his removal when he encouraged IRS staff to leave work early ahead of his 70th birthday.
Revenue Shift Under Trump
Trump’s administration has reshaped the way Washington collects money, with U.S. businesses paying more than $100 billion in customs duties this year alone under his new tariff regime. While Trump has long floated the idea of creating an “external revenue service” to handle tariffs, the job remains with the Treasury Department and Customs and Border Protection.
Last month, Trump signed his so-called “big, beautiful bill” into law, extending 2017 tax cuts, adding temporary breaks on tips and overtime pay, and allowing deductions on auto loan interest. The law also includes massive military spending increases and funding for large-scale deportations.
The bill passed narrowly in the Senate with Vice President JD Vance casting the tiebreaking vote, after heated debates over cuts to safety net programs and changes to the state and local tax (SALT) deduction cap.
Budget analysts project the law will add $3.3 trillion to the national debt over the next decade and cause more than 11 million Americans to lose health insurance due to Medicaid reductions and other provisions.
