IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel announces departure ahead of Trump inauguration
Donald Trump's Nov. 5 election win sent shockwaves through the D.C. bureaucracy, with many officials across federal agencies carefully weighing their future plans.
One such government notable was apparently Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Commissioner Danny Werfel, who announced last week that he would resign his post ahead of Trump's inauguration, a move designed to avoid what appeared to be a certain firing to make way for a new pick, as USA Today reports.
Werfel announces decision
It was on Friday that Werfel released a letter to agency staffers outlining his decision to leave the agency before Trump takes office on Monday.
“After significant introspection and consultation with others, I've determined the best way to support a successful transition is to depart the IRS on January 20, 2025,” Werfel said, according to Politico.
Werfel added that because Trump had already nominated a replacement commissioner, remaining in place would have resulted in an undesirable situation, given his belief that it would be “hard to predict what type of distractions this unprecedented scenario would create.”
The outgoing commissioner took a moment to outline what he believes were the greatest accomplishments notched during his tenure, stating, “We have delivered two of the best filing seasons in decades, with significantly improved phone, online and in-person service. We answered nearly nine in 10 calls the last two filing seasons, up from fewer than two in 10 calls, while cutting call wait times from 30 minutes to under five minutes.”
Though it is customary for incoming presidents to retain the sitting IRS commissioner upon taking office, Trump is someone famous for charting his own course.
Long tapped IRS role
The Hill reported last month that he had selected former Rep. Billy Long (R-MO) to take the reins from Werfel, a decision that set the stage for last week's resignation announcement.
Trump said upon making his choice public, “I am pleased to announce that former Congressman Billy Long, of the Great State of Missouri, will be appointed to serve as the Commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).”
“Billy brings 32 years of experience running his own businesses in Real Estate and, as one of the premier Auctioneers in the Country,” Trump continued, noting also that Long is “well respected on both sides of the aisle.”
Politico suggested that Long's upcoming confirmation process could pose some hurdles, with Democrats reportedly expressing concerns about his career path after leaving Congress, a period in which he aided businesses claiming a “scandal-plagued tax break” mean to stave off pandemic job losses.
The nominee's confirmation process will be overseen by the Senate Finance committee, which also has jurisdiction over proceedings for Trump nominees Scott Bessent -- tapped for Treasury -- and Robert Kennedy, Jr. – picked to head the Department of Health and Human Services, in what will be a busy few weeks ensuring that Trump's picks for key administration roles secure needed approvals.
