Overview

• Long was confirmed by a 53-44 Senate party-line vote in mid-June and served just 53 days as IRS commissioner.
• Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has assumed the acting commissioner role with no permanent successor yet named.
• Lawmakers had criticized Long’s lack of formal tax policy experience and his promotion of a pandemic-era credit later deemed vulnerable to fraud.
• His exit marks the fifth person to lead the IRS, permanent or interim, since January, underscoring enduring leadership turnover.
• People familiar with the matter say Long will soon be nominated for an ambassadorship, highlighting the administration’s use of federal posts for political allies.