Trump WIN: IRS Commissioner WILLINGLY Steps Down

IRS Commissioner Daniel Werfel announces resignation as Trump prepares to take office, paving the way for a new era at the tax agency.

Was this an attempt to thwart Trump? Because it’s going to backfire…

At a Glance

  • Daniel Werfel, IRS Commissioner, to step down on Trump’s inauguration day
  • Trump nominates former Republican congressman Billy Long as new IRS Chief
  • IRS faced funding changes and modernization efforts under Werfel’s leadership
  • Agency collected nearly $5 trillion in tax revenue last fiscal year
  • Transition marks shift in IRS direction amid Republican criticism

Werfel’s Departure and Trump’s Nominee

Daniel Werfel, the current Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Commissioner, has announced his decision to step down from his position as President-elect Donald J. Trump prepares to take office. Werfel’s term was originally set to expire in November 2027, but he chose to resign early, effective on Trump’s inauguration day.

In a move that signals a shift in leadership for the tax agency, Trump has nominated Billy Long, a former Republican congressman from Missouri, as the next IRS Commissioner. Long’s nomination comes despite his limited experience in tax matters, primarily involving work on a pandemic-era tax credit.

During Werfel’s tenure, the IRS underwent significant changes and faced various challenges. The agency, which employs over 80,000 staff members, collected nearly $5 trillion in tax revenue in the last fiscal year. Under the Biden administration, Democrats approved $60 billion in additional funding to enhance tax collection from wealthy Americans and update the agency’s technology.

“While leaving a job you love is never easy, I take comfort in knowing that the civil servant leaders and employees at the IRS are the exact right team to effectively steward this organization forward until a new IRS Commissioner is confirmed,” Werfel stated in his departing message.

Werfel’s leadership saw the IRS reach its highest staffing level since 1997, with over 100,000 employees by the end of fiscal 2024. The agency also made strides in improving taxpayer services, increasing call response rates, and reducing wait times significantly.

As the IRS prepares for this leadership transition, Douglas O’Donnell, the current second-in-command, will serve as Acting Commissioner until Long’s confirmation. The change in leadership comes at a crucial time for the agency, which is in the midst of modernizing its core processing system, the Individual Master File, to better handle future tax code changes.