Bessent makes first IRS visit as commissioner, formally asserting control
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Scott Bessent during a Bloomberg Television interview in New York, Aug. 13, 2025. Michael Nagle/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent made his inaugural visit to the IRS as acting commissioner on Thursday, after he replaced Billy Long last week.
Why it matters: Bessent is formally asserting his control over the agency. He's the sixth acting head of the agency during the Trump administration.
- In his meeting with senior IRS leadership Thursday afternoon, he highlighted the IRS's record-setting tax collection.
- Bessent also reminded employees about the importance of modernizing the IT systems at agency, according to people familiar with the matter.
- In February, as part of the broader DOGE effort, the IRS started laying off employees, right as tax season kicked into high gear.
By the numbers: Treasury officials like to note that federal tax receipts did not plummet, as some experts predicted. Democrats argue the approach is penny-wise but pound-foolish.
- In May, the latest month for which tax receipts are available, they increased 14.7% from 2024, according to the Treasury Department.
- Through the tax filing season, the agency brought in $2.04 trillion, which marked a $100 billion increase from last year.
Zoom in: Last week Long announced on X that he was honored to be nominated to be ambassador to Iceland, but numerous media outlets reported that he was dismissed.
- He and Bessent clashed over who controlled the IRS, with Long privately complaining that he needed Bessent's approval to run the agency, according to the New York Times.
- Bessent is also tasked with negotiating China trade negotiations and helping Trump pick a replacement for Fed Chair Jay Powell after taking himself out of the race.
Zoom out: The Treasury Department and the IRS are responsible for implementing roughly 100 new tax provisions from Trump's "one, big beautiful bill."
- Long created a special implementation team to ensure that Trump's campaign promises were effectively turned into actual workable tax policy, with modernized IT designed for new tax credits for U.S autos purchases and loans and Trump's "no taxes on tips" plan.
- Bessent will continue those efforts, as well as the IT modernization.
The bottom line: It took five months for the Senate to confirm Long.
- Given the current nominations backlog, it would appear that Bessent will serve as the acting IRS head for at least several months.
