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Long’s time at the IRS was short but headline-making. Sworn in on June 16 after a party-line 53–44 Senate vote, his term was set to run until November 2027. Ironically, the man now leaving the IRS once supported legislation to eliminate it altogether, replacing the agency’s role with a national sales tax.
When he took over earlier this summer, Long told IRS employees that he wanted to change the agency’s reputation from the inside out. “In my first 90 days I plan to ask you, my employee partners, to help me develop a new culture here,” he said at the time, promising to make life easier for both workers and taxpayers.
Long became the fifth person to lead the IRS since January, succeeding Michael Faulkender, who had been wearing two hats as acting commissioner and deputy Treasury secretary. The turnover rate at the agency has been unprecedented — and not just at the top. A July inspector general’s report revealed the IRS has lost roughly a quarter of its workforce under Trump’s budget cuts and buyout offers.
Democrats, predictably, pounced on the move. Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., issued a blistering statement loaded with accusations but no hard proof. “In just a handful of months, Trump and his crew have already gutted taxpayer service, weaponized IRS data against innocent taxpayers and set us up for disaster when next year’s filing season comes around,” Wyden claimed. “This is what Trump does — pick incompetent, unserious people for serious jobs, and sit back as the damage piles up.”
Long was known inside the IRS for his personable style and unexpected gestures — including agency-wide Friday emails telling employees they could head home early. CNN obtained one such message sent Thursday, cheekily titled “It’s Almost FriYay.” In it, Long shared advice from a fraternity brother who runs the parent company of Pizza Hut and Taco Bell, linking it to his vision for a better workplace culture.
For now, the IRS is back in the hands of an acting commissioner while the search for a permanent replacement begins. Meanwhile, Billy Long will trade tax code headaches for diplomatic duties in Reykjavik — and Trump continues to prove he’s willing to make bold, unconventional moves to keep Washington on its toes.
