Acting IRS Commissioner Gary Shapley is departing the agency amid disagreements between Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and presidential advisor Elon Musk, multiple media outlets reported Friday.
The ouster comes after a complaint from Bessent to President Trump about Shapley’s appointment, which was made without Bessent’s approval at the request of Musk, The New York Times reported.
Shapley got the job after a push by Musk’s government cost-cutting panel through White House channels, and Bessent was not consulted on the decision, Times sources said.
The shakeup at the IRS is the latest in a string of political battles involving the agency since President Trump has taken office.
Controversies at the agency include the use of taxpayer data for an immigration crackdown, access to Americans’ financial information by a government cost-cutting panel, an audit review request for one of Trump’s friends, and the tax-exempt status of a major American university that has refused to give into Trump’s demands.
The IRS has had a series of different temporary leaders after Trump fired the last confirmed commissioner, Danny Werfel, a Biden appointee.
Deputy Treasury Secretary Michael Faulkender will take over for Shapley, the Journal and the Times each reported.
Shapley gained favor with Republicans after criticizing the government’s investigation into Hunter Biden in testimony to Congress.
Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) put out a statement in March praising Shapley and another whistleblower and announcing his promotion to a leadership position at the Treasury Department.
“Gary Shapley and Joe Ziegler put their entire careers on the line,” Grassley said.