Trump to reportedly tap Hunter Biden whistleblower to lead IRS

IRS whistleblowers Gary Shapley, left, and Joseph Ziegler testify in July to the House Oversight Committee about alleged meddling in the Justice Department's investigation of Hunter Biden (Leah Millis/Reuters)

Former IRS investigator Gary Shapley, who gained national attention for alleging political interference in the Hunter Biden probe, is set to be named acting commissioner of the IRS by President Donald Trump, CNN reported, citing three people briefed on the matter.

Shapley, who previously served as deputy chief of IRS Criminal Investigation, became a prominent figure in 2023 after providing whistleblower testimony to Congress. He accused the Justice Department of slow-walking its investigation into Hunter Biden’s alleged tax violations, claims that were seized upon by Republicans but refuted by some top officials, including at the IRS and the DOJ.

“This is an extraordinary rise for Shapley,” CNN noted, pointing out that he was still a career supervisory agent when he first went public with his allegations. Now, Trump is poised to hand him the reins of the entire agency.

The move follows a period of intense turnover at the IRS. Shapley would be the fourth person to lead the agency this year. Trump’s pick for a full-time commissioner, former Missouri Rep. Billy Long, is still awaiting confirmation in the GOP-led Senate.

Shapley’s likely elevation comes after a string of high-profile resignations. Danny Werfel, the Biden-appointed and Senate-confirmed commissioner, stepped down on Trump’s Inauguration Day, despite having time left in his statutory term. He was succeeded by Doug O’Donnell, a long-serving IRS official, who retired abruptly in February amid policy disputes with Trump’s appointees. Melanie Krause, who followed, resigned last week after internal tensions peaked over a controversial deal allowing taxpayer data to be shared with immigration authorities.

According to CNN, Trump’s decision comes in the wake of praise from Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who recently named Shapley a senior adviser and lauded him as a “truth-seeker” capable of reforming the IRS.

“It’s really a travesty what happened here,” Bessent said in a Fox Business interview. “These two gentlemen were dedicated civil servants trying to do their jobs, and they were blocked from doing that... Whether you’re related to the president, no matter how powerful you are, the IRS is going to behave fairly.”

Not everyone is welcoming the change. As speculation grew this week about Shapley’s appointment, some current and former IRS officials voiced concern.

“Glad I’m not there anymore,” a recently departed senior IRS official told CNN. A current employee, speaking anonymously, added: “You gotta be sh*tting me.”