In a striking move, President Trump has tapped IRS whistleblower Gary Shapley for a major promotion, naming him acting commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service, according to several reports. Shapley, who gained attention for exposing alleged misconduct in the Hunter Biden tax investigation, steps into the role as a seasoned agent with a reputation for integrity.
“Congratulations to my friend Gary Shapley on being named Acting Commissioner of the IRS,” wrote Tristan Leavitt, Shapley’s attorney, in a Tuesday post on X, reacting to a Wall Street Journal article about the appointment. “Couldn’t think of a single better person, both as a dedicated leader and as a whistleblower who has seen the agency’s weaknesses and had the courage to speak up about them,” Leavitt continued.
Congratulations to my friend Gary Shapley on being named Acting Commissioner of the IRS. Couldn’t think of a single better person, both as a dedicated leader and as a whistleblower who has seen the agency’s weaknesses and had the courage to speak up about them. 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸…
— Tristan Leavitt (@tristanleavitt) April 16, 2025
Shapley, who was elevated to senior adviser to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent just weeks ago, will now succeed Melanie Krause as acting commissioner, per a memo collected by the Journal. He is set to helm the tax agency until former Rep. Billy Long (R-Mo.), Trump’s nominee for the permanent role, secures Senate confirmation.
A Treasury Department spokesperson, speaking to the New York Post, lauded Shapley’s extensive service. “Gary is a long-tenured civil servant who has dedicated the last 15 years of his professional life to the IRS,” the spokesperson said.
“Gary has proven his honesty and devotion to enforcing the law without fear or favor, even at great cost to his own career. He’ll be a great asset to the IRS as we rethink and reform this crucial organization.” The department, which oversees the IRS, stopped short of confirming the reports.
The announcement landed on Tax Day, the yearly deadline for income tax filings, amplifying its significance. Shapley’s ascent follows his high-profile role in the Hunter Biden case, where he and IRS special agent Joseph Ziegler faced pushback after flagging concerns about the Justice Department’s handling of the investigation.
The duo was pulled from the case in December 2022 after alleging that DOJ officials, including then-Delaware U.S. Attorney David Weiss, were stalling and obstructing their work.
In congressional testimony, Shapley and Ziegler claimed that Lesley Wolf, an assistant prosecutor in Weiss’ office, shielded Joe Biden from scrutiny and alerted Hunter’s legal team to a planned evidence search at a Northern Virginia storage unit. They further alleged that Weiss’ office restricted their access to files from Hunter’s abandoned laptop, barred interviews with other Biden family members, and denied a search warrant for a guest house at Joe Biden’s Delaware home.
Shapley also revealed a critical detail from an October 7, 2022, meeting, asserting that Weiss admitted he lacked final authority over charging decisions in the Hunter Biden case—a claim that clashed with then-Attorney General Merrick Garland’s statements to Congress.
Months after Shapley and Ziegler went public, Hunter Biden faced multiple felony and misdemeanor charges in California for failing to pay at least $1.4 million in taxes. In September, he pleaded guilty to all counts.
However, President Joe Biden issued a sweeping pardon before sentencing in both the tax case and a separate Delaware felony gun conviction, sparing his son from prison. The move came despite Biden’s repeated pledges not to meddle in his son’s legal troubles, made in the weeks before he left office.
Shapley’s appointment signals a new chapter for the IRS, with his firsthand insight into the agency’s challenges positioning him as a bold choice to steer its future.
The Fairview Gazette will keep you updated on any new information to this story.
