Credited from: NEWSWEEK
Billy Long has been removed as IRS commissioner by President Trump, just under two months after his Senate confirmation, which was met with skepticism due to his limited background in tax administration, according to CBS News and HuffPost.
The removal comes amid ongoing turmoil within the IRS, which has seen a revolving door of leadership; Scott Bessent, the Treasury Secretary, has been appointed as acting commissioner in the interim, as reported by Newsweek and India Times.
Long's confirmation by the Senate was controversial, passing by a narrow 53-44 vote, primarily due to concerns regarding his connections to pandemic-related tax credit fraud and campaign financing after Trump's nomination, noted by LA Times and NPR.
This leadership shift highlights the IRS's ongoing challenges as it gears up to implement changes in tax law amid a significant reduction in workforce and the ongoing fallout from a controversial data-sharing agreement with immigration authorities, which has further complicated its operations, according to CBS News and LA Times.