Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told the Senate Finance Committee on Wednesday that he is "performing the duties" of IRS commissioner, a position that has remained vacant since President Donald Trump took office.
Bessent's statement regarding his role at the Internal Revenue Service came during a hearing that also addressed questions about a tax settlement involving President Trump's tax returns. The Treasury Secretary's disclosure provides clarity on the current leadership arrangement at the federal tax agency during a period when no permanent commissioner has been appointed.
The IRS commissioner position has remained unfilled since Trump assumed the presidency, leaving a leadership gap at the agency. Bessent's acknowledgment that he is performing the duties of commissioner indicates that the Treasury Department has taken on direct oversight of the IRS during this vacancy.
Democratic members of the Senate Finance Committee pressed Bessent on matters related to the leak of Trump's tax returns. Specifically, Democrats questioned whether other taxpayers affected by the same leak would receive treatment comparable to what occurred in the Trump tax settlement case.
The leak that included Trump's tax returns has prompted inquiries about the settlement process and its application to other affected parties. Democratic senators sought clarification on whether the approach taken in the Trump settlement would extend to others whose information may have been compromised in the same disclosure.
Bessent's testimony before the committee represents the Treasury Department's response to ongoing congressional oversight questions about IRS operations and the handling of the high-profile tax document disclosure case. The hearing addressed both the administrative structure of the IRS and broader policy questions regarding the handling of sensitive taxpayer information.
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