WASHINGTON — Former Missouri congressman Billy Long was ceremonially sworn in Friday as commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service, taking charge of an agency he once proposed eliminating.
Lee Zeldin, administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, administered the oath in the Oval Office while President Donald Trump looked on.
Long’s appointment follows months of interim leadership and steep staffing cuts at the IRS, raising concerns about the agency’s ability to manage the upcoming tax season. Tens of thousands of workers have retired or been laid off under the Trump administration’s efforts to downsize the federal government through the Department of Government Efficiency.
In a message to IRS employees, Long emphasized his focus on internal change: “In my first 90 days I plan to ask you, my employee partners, to help me develop a new culture here. I’m big on culture, and I’m anxious to develop one that makes your lives and the taxpayers’ lives better.”
Long, who represented Missouri in Congress from 2011 to 2023, has no prior experience in tax administration. Before entering politics, he worked as an auctioneer and real estate broker, and from 1999 to 2006 hosted a radio show where the IRS was frequently a topic of criticism.
Despite his history of advocating for the IRS’s elimination, Long was confirmed by the Senate in a 53-44 vote last month. His nomination drew criticism from Democrats over campaign contributions he received shortly after Trump tapped him for the role and his ties to a tax credit scheme.
In 2022, while running unsuccessfully for U.S. Senate, Long released a campaign ad echoing false claims that the 2020 election was “rigged” and “stolen” from Trump. During that campaign, he worked with a firm linked to fraudulent COVID-era employee retention tax credits. Long has denied any wrongdoing during testimony before the Senate Finance Committee.
Democrats have called for a criminal investigation into Long’s involvement in alleged tax loopholes and questioned campaign donations made to his defunct Senate committee following his nomination.
Long joins a growing list of Trump appointees who have expressed support for dismantling the very agencies they now lead. Education Secretary Linda McMahon has pushed to shut down her department and shift responsibilities to the states, while FBI Director Kash Patel and former Energy Secretary Rick Perry have proposed sweeping overhauls or closures of their respective agencies.
Trump, for his part, has floated replacing federal income tax with tariff revenue. The sweeping tax and spending bill he signed earlier this month includes $4.5 trillion in cuts, such as deductions on tips, overtime, and auto loans, along with numerous business breaks.
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