IRS Acting Commissioner Doug O'donnell To Retire Amid Chaos

The Internal Revenue Service building is seen in Washington

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced that the acting head, Doug O’Donnell, is set to retire on Friday amidst recent chaos and cutbacks at the agency following President Donald Trump's assumption of office. O’Donnell's departure comes at a critical time as the IRS enters the peak of the tax filing season.

Melanie Krause, the IRS Chief Operating Officer, will serve as the acting commissioner following O'Donnell’s retirement.

Douglas O'Donnell, the acting IRS commissioner, will retire at the end of the week after a 38-year career with the agency.

The IRS is currently facing challenges, including staffing cuts and a data breach involving over 400,000 taxpayer returns.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent revealed that Melanie Krause, the agency’s chief operating officer, will assume leadership of the IRS. Krause has shown support for Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency initiatives within the agency. Meanwhile, President Trump has nominated former Rep. Billy Long to take over as the head of the IRS.