Trump picks loyalist Billy Long to head IRS

President-elect Donald Trump said he plans to nominate former Rep. Billy Long (R-Mo.) as the next commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service on Wednesday, appointing another loyalist to head a major federal agency.

“I have known Billy since 2011 – he is an extremely hard worker and is respected by everyone, especially those who know him in Congress,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “Taxpayers and the wonderful people at the IRS will love having Billy at the helm. He is the consummate “people person” who is highly regarded on both sides of the aisle.”

Lange worked as an auctioneer for decades before being elected to Congress. He served in the House of Representatives from 2011 to 2023 before launching a failed bid for a seat in the Missouri Senate.

Since leaving Washington, he has worked as a tax preparer, encouraging companies to explore a pandemic-era employee retention tax credit.

The program has been the subject of massive fraud that cost the government billions of dollars, and some lawmakers have sought to end it. The IRS temporarily suspended it earlier this year to catch up on false claims.

Democrats were skeptical about the election.

“There are many reasons why former Congressman Billy Long is a bizarre choice for this role,” Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, said in a statement to RollCall. “What is most concerning is that Mr. Long has left office and entered the fraud-plagued industry surrounding the employee retention tax credit.”

The move effectively means Trump will fire current IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel, who was appointed to a five-year term by President Joe Biden in 2022. He took over the agency shortly after Congress approved an $80 billion increase in funding over the next decade, which experts say will help the government more accurately enforce tax laws and raise revenue.

Republicans cut that funding by $20 billion last year and are seeking billions more, which officials warned would limit the agency’s ability to audit the assets of Americans and major corporations.

Werfel – who has worked for both Democrats and Republicans – had said he intended to finish his term but that the sitting president could appoint whomever he wanted as long as he was confirmed by the Senate.

“I imagine my last day of work will be November 12, 2027,” Werfel said during a podcast appearance last month. “My stance on the IRS is that it is nonpartisan and that our priorities can and should change with new leadership at the Treasury Department.”