Bessent Appoints Faulkender Acting IRS Chief, Replacing Shapley

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has appointed Deputy Treasury Secretary Michael Faulkender as acting IRS commissioner, replacing Gary Shapley, until President Trump's nominee Billy Long is confirmed. The leadership shakeup comes amid controversy over the Trump administration's directive to the IRS to consider revoking Harvard University's tax-exempt status after the school refused federal demands, a move widely criticized as political interference. Former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers publicly called for Bessent's resignation, arguing that complying with Trump's directive constitutes the weaponization of the IRS against a political adversary and undermines the rule of law. Summers cited historical precedent, noting that former Treasury Secretary George Shultz resisted similar political pressure from President Nixon. The developments have sparked concerns about the politicization of IRS leadership and the erosion of safeguards protecting the agency from executive interference. Critics warn that such actions could damage trust in the nation's tax collection system and set a troubling precedent.