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Trump Replaces IRS Acting Commissioner After Three Days

Gary Shapley, a whistleblower in the Hunter Biden tax investigation, was removed following Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's objections to Elon Musk's influence in his appointment.

FILE - IRS Supervisory Special Agent Gary Shapley arrives to testify on the Hunter Biden investigation during a House Ways and Means Committee hearing, Dec. 5, 2023, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)
A sign for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is seen on its building on February 13, 2025 in Washington, DC. Members of Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) arrived at the Internal Revenue Service to begin examining the agency's operations.
Elon Musk during a cabinet meeting at the White House

Overview

  • Gary Shapley was removed as acting IRS commissioner just days after his appointment, following a complaint by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to President Trump.
  • Bessent alleged that Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency pushed Shapley's appointment without consulting the Treasury Department, which oversees the IRS.
  • Deputy Treasury Secretary Michael Faulkender is set to become the fifth acting IRS commissioner this year, pending the confirmation of permanent nominee Billy Long.
  • Shapley's brief tenure followed the resignation of Melanie Krause, who stepped down over a controversial IRS data-sharing agreement with immigration authorities.
  • The leadership turmoil at the IRS reflects broader tensions within the Trump administration, including disputes over Musk's expanded role and ongoing politicization of the agency.