IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel Resigns Ahead of Trump’s Inauguration

January 18, 2025 TruthUSA

“The most effective way to facilitate a smooth transition is to leave the IRS on January 20,” he shares.

The IRS Commissioner has announced his resignation just ahead of President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration.

“Following deep reflection and consultations, I’ve concluded that the best approach to support a successful transition is to resign from the IRS on January 20, 2025,” said IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel in a message to all IRS staff on Friday.

Trump’s inauguration is set to occur at noon ET on January 20, indicating that Werfel will vacate his position beforehand.

“Although parting from a role I cherish is never simple, I find solace in knowing that the dedicated civil servant leaders and employees at the IRS are precisely the right individuals to effectively guide this organization until a new IRS Commissioner is appointed,” Werfel remarked.

Werfel’s tenure began in March 2023 and was originally scheduled to conclude in November 2027. Trump previously indicated plans to nominate former Rep. Billy Long (R-Mo.) as the new IRS commissioner, pending Senate confirmation.

In his communication to staff, Werfel expressed his desire to complete his “full term as commissioner,” but acknowledged that “the President-elect has stated his intent to nominate a new IRS Commissioner.”

“I have been moved by those who have reached out to me, expressing hope that I could continue in my role and further the vital work in progress,” he wrote. “Yet as civil servants, we have a responsibility to ensure that our next Commissioner is positioned for success.”

Earlier this year, Werfel warned that the IRS must retain Congress-approved funding; otherwise, it would have to decrease staffing levels, which he claims have enhanced tax services and decreased processing times. The IRS received approximately $80 billion over 10 years under the Inflation Reduction Act, although some of those funds were later rescinded in subsequent legislation.

“If we fail to maintain adequate staffing levels, our performance will regress, resulting in inevitable delays in processing and potential backlogs,” Werfel noted during a recent news conference.

In recent times, the IRS has faced criticism from Republicans regarding the agency’s plan to hire nearly 87,000 new employees, with allegations of targeting the middle class and small businesses. Some House Republicans and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, during his 2024 presidential campaign, have called for the IRS to be abolished entirely.

Trump has not publicly responded to Werfel’s statement. Upon announcing his nomination of Long, a former auctioneer and tax consultant, to head the tax collection agency, Trump stated that Long is “respected by all.”

“I have known Billy since 2011—He is an extremely hard worker, and respected by all, especially those who work with him in Congress,” Trump posted in early December 2024. “Taxpayers and the wonderful employees of the IRS will appreciate having Billy in charge.”

The IRS is set to commence this year’s tax filing season on January 27, 2025.

Earlier this week, Trump announced plans to establish an “External Revenue Service” aimed at collecting tariff income and other revenues from foreign nations, drawing a comparison to the creation of the IRS.

“We will start charging those who benefit from our trade, and they will begin contributing,” Trump stated on his social media platform, Truth Social.

Trump has indicated he may impose substantial tariffs on goods from certain countries, including Mexico and Canada, if they do not address the flow of illegal immigration and fentanyl trafficking into the United States. He also mentioned an intention to levy additional tariffs on China for failing to control the production of fentanyl and its precursor chemicals.

This report includes contributions from the Associated Press and Reuters.

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