IRS Commissioner Billy Long is being eased out of a position held for only two months and being given an ambassadorship to a yet unnamed country. There is no word on why Long is moving on, but there are strong indications it may have to do with a poor working relationship between Long and a current Trump favorite, Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent.
Mr. Bessent and Mr. Long had clashed at times, three of the people said. Mr. Long had remarked to some colleagues that he had to ask Mr. Bessent for permission for everything he did at the I.R.S., two of the people said.
Others said Mr. Long had at times appeared to get out ahead of the I.R.S. and Treasury Department. He told tax practitioners last month that the agency’s all-important filing season would start later than usual next year, a statement that the I.R.S. later said was premature.
Secretary Bessent will serve as Acting IRS Commissioner until a replacement is named, as Marco Rubio is unavailable.
Long is a former member of Congress from Missouri’s 7th District, where he has served since 2021. He is a staunch Trump ally and is probably most famous for his 2018 confrontation with Laura Loomer, who was attempting to protest during a hearing.
There are some takeaways from this episode.
First, the IRS is a wounded agency in turmoil. Long is the seventh commissioner to serve since President Trump’s inauguration. An IRS without leadership can’t help the administration.
The IRS is moving onto a seventh commissioner since Trump took office — Billy Long is reportedly set to be nominated to an ambassadorship.
More people have been IRS commissioner in six months under Trump than during the entire 2010s. pic.twitter.com/pnN7gGQcFA
— The Recount (@therecount) August 8, 2025
When you add top-level turmoil to a 25 percent DOGE-related decrease in the workforce, you have an ineffective organization at a time when tax policy is critical.
Second, if Long was let go because of his working relationship with Bessent, this is a sign that Trump is not going to tolerate the sometimes comedic dysfunction that plagued his first term. Trump is slowly but surely entrusting an inner circle of cabinet secretaries with the power to shape their respective spheres of influence.
RedState is your leading source for news and views on administration, politics, culture, and conservatism. If you appreciate our reporting and commentary, please consider becoming a member and supporting our efforts. Use promo code FIGHT to get 60% off your membership.
