In brief
The Treasury Department has announced the appointment of Frank Bisignano, the current Social Security Administration Commissioner, as the new CEO of the IRS. Bisignano will oversee daily IRS operations while retaining his responsibilities at the SSA. This move highlights the ongoing leadership changes at the IRS since the start of the Trump administration, with questions surrounding the necessity for Senate confirmation for his new role.
WASHINGTON (AP) — In a significant restructuring effort, Social Security Administration Commissioner Frank Bisignano has been appointed as the CEO of the IRS, a newly created position announced on Monday. This decision continues the trend of Trump administration leaders overseeing multiple federal agencies.
As the new CEO, Bisignano will report directly to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who is currently acting as IRS commissioner. Whether Bisignano's position will require Senate confirmation remains uncertain.
According to a Treasury Department statement, Bisignano's responsibilities will encompass overseeing all daily operations of the IRS while simultaneously serving as the commissioner of the Social Security Administration.
Bessent emphasized that the alignment in technology and customer service objectives between the IRS and the SSA makes Bisignano an ideal candidate for this dual role.
His appointment is part of a broader series of leadership changes that have occurred within the IRS since Trump took office. Following the dismissal of former U.S. Representative Billy Long from the IRS commissioner position after just two months, Bessent assumed the acting role in August.
In previous years, the IRS has experienced significant leadership instability, with four acting commissioners preceding Long, which included resignations and conflicts stemming from controversial agreements with the Department of Homeland Security.
Now, with two high-profile roles, Bisignano joins the ranks of various Trump administration officials handling multiple responsibilities, alongside others like Bessent and Marco Rubio.
Bisignano, who has been the chair of Fiserv, a financial services technology firm, since 2020, is noted for advocating corporate policies aimed at protecting LGBTQ+ rights.
