Irs Losing Third Chief This Year Amid Agency Turbulence

The acting head of the IRS, Melanie Krause, will resign soon, adding to the exodus of top leaders from the agency, according to current and former government officials.

Krause has served as the acting agency commissioner for not even six weeks, in what’s become an increasingly turbulent period for the tax collector. She was the third person to hold the top job at the agency — which is facing sharp job cuts and unusual data requests from the Trump administration — this year.

Krause's impending departure comes as the IRS is poised to share confidential taxpayer data with immigration authorities, under an agreement struck this week between the Treasury Department and the Department of Homeland Security.

The Trump administration is also working through plans to dramatically cut the agency’s staffing levels, while Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency is examining the agency’s technological capabilities.

Several other key IRS officials, including the agency’s chief financial, privacy and risk officers, are also planning to leave, according to a person familiar with the situation.

Former Commissioner Danny Werfel, who was nominated by then-President Joe Biden, departed in January after President Donald Trump moved to replace him.

Doug O’Donnell, a longtime IRS executive, followed Werfel before retiring barely a month later.

Trump has chosen former Rep. Billy Long (R-Mo.) to be IRS commissioner, but the Senate Finance Committee has yet to hold a hearing on his nomination.

The Washington Post first reported that Krause was stepping down.

The IRS in the midst of processing tens of millions of tax returns, with the filing season set to end April 15. It is still unclear whether the turmoil at the agency has affected tax return or refund processing, a concern voiced by many tax industry professionals.