Former Rep. Billy Long was IRS commissioner for less than two months, acknowledging his ousting with a jab at himself and President Trump(Image: Getty Images)Former IRS Commissioner Billy Long joked that he actually meant to join ICE, but the president ‘misheard,’ in a humorous jab at his own ousting earlier today.
President Donald Trump removed former U.S. Rep. Billy Long as IRS commissioner less than two months after his confirmation, according to a White House report on Friday. Instead, Trump has nominated Long to become the ambassador to Iceland.
Long took to X to joke, “I saw where Former Superman actor Dean Cain says he’s joining ICE so I got all fired up and thought I’d do the same. So I called Donald Trump last night and told him I wanted to join ICE and I guess he thought I said Iceland? Oh well.”
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Former Rep. Billy Long was confirmed by Trump less than two months ago(Image: Getty Images)The reason for Long’s dismissal remains unclear. His abrupt departure marks him as the shortest-tenured IRS commissioner confirmed by the Senate since the role was established in 1862.
In a social media post, Long revealed that Trump had nominated him for an ambassadorship.
“It is an honor to serve my friend President Trump, and I am excited to take on my new role as the ambassador to Iceland. I am thrilled to answer his call to service and deeply committed to advancing his bold agenda. Exciting times ahead!” the ex-Missouri congressman posted on X.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent will step in as acting IRS commissioner, stated the White House official, who requested anonymity due to not being authorized to speak publicly.
Long’s removal only adds to the chaos at the nation’s tax collector, which has experienced significant turnover since the start of Trump’s second term. The IRS cycled through four acting leaders before Long’s confirmation in June and has seen a quarter of its staff depart since the Department of Government Efficiency began its self-proclaimed mission to reduce waste, fraud, and abuse.
After his confirmation, Long shared his plans for his initial months in office with IRS employees, a milestone he did not achieve.
“In my first 90 days, I plan to ask you, my employee partners, to help me develop a new culture here,” Long wrote. “I’m big on culture, and I’m anxious to develop one that makes your lives and the taxpayers’ lives better.”
Long’s career was also plagued by past work for a firm that pitched a fraud-ridden coronavirus pandemic-era tax break and about campaign contributions he received after Trump nominated him.
Democrats demanded a criminal probe into Long’s ties to other suspected tax credit schemes. The legislators claim that companies linked to Long misled investors into purchasing millions of dollars worth of bogus tax credits.
The acting leaders who came before Long included one who stepped down over a deal between the IRS and the Department of Homeland Security to share immigrants’ tax data with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and another whose appointment sparked a dispute between former Trump adviser Elon Musk and Bessent.
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