On April 19, 2025, the US Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent, announced the appointment of Michael Faulkender as the Acting Commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), replacing Gary Shapley until Billy Long, nominated by President Trump, receives confirmation from the Senate.
Bessent emphasized the importance of restoring trust in the IRS and expressed full confidence in Michael Faulkender as the current suitable candidate for the role. Faulkender will take on the leadership of the IRS temporarily while awaiting Long’s confirmation.
In a post on the social media platform X, Bessent stated, “It is crucial to bring trust back to the American IRS, and I firmly believe that Deputy Secretary Michael Faulkender is the right person for the job.”
The Treasury Secretary also noted that Shapley remains one of his most important senior advisors and will continue to assist in “rethinking and reforming the IRS.”
Amid the Trump administration’s rapid downsizing of the IRS, the agency has seen multiple changes in leadership in less than four months. A report by The Wall Street Journal on April 16 revealed that Shapley was appointed as the Acting Commissioner of the IRS by the Trump administration. Shapley, a former criminal investigator for the IRS, gained attention during the Biden administration for his testimony before Congress, criticizing the government’s handling of tax filings related to Hunter Biden, the son of Joe Biden.
The IRS, under Faulkender’s interim leadership, faces challenges as it navigates ongoing reforms and restructuring processes initiated by the current administration. The reshuffling of top positions within the agency reflects the administration’s focus on revitalizing and streamlining tax enforcement policies.
As Faulkender steps into his new role at the helm of the IRS, the Treasury Department aims to restore public confidence in the agency’s operations and enhance its efficiency in collecting and managing tax revenues. Faulkender’s background in finance and his experience in government will be instrumental in guiding the IRS through this period of transition and reform.
Overall, the appointment of Michael Faulkender as the Acting Commissioner of the IRS signals a strategic move by the Treasury Department to bring stability and effective leadership to the agency during a period of significant change and reorganization in the federal tax system. The outcomes of Faulkender’s leadership and the administration’s reforms within the IRS will likely shape the future trajectory of tax administration and enforcement in the United States.