Treasury Turnover Hits Record Levels in the Trump Administration

Since the start of the second Trump administration, seven of the 16 Treasury officials confirmed by the Senate have left their posts—approximately 44 percent of the senior political slate. The departures include senior figures such as former Treasury chief of staff David A. Lebryk and former Financial Crimes Enforcement Network director Andrea Gacki. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has also cycled through at least three chiefs of staff during the same period.

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The Partnership for Public Service, a nonpartisan watchdog, tracks turnover across federal agencies. Under the Obama and Biden administrations, no Senate-confirmed Treasury appointees had departed by this point in their terms. The Bush administration and the first Trump administration each lost two. The exodus occurs alongside a broader reduction in career staff: the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) workforce has shrunk by roughly 25 percent, and the Treasury has lost senior officials with experience spanning multiple administrations.

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• 44 % of Senate-confirmed Treasury appointees have left.

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• Treasury Secretary Bessent has had at least three chiefs of staff.

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• The IRS employee count is down about one-quarter from its prior level.

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• Former officials who departed include:

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• Ken Kies, assistant treasury secretary and acting IRS chief counsel, forced out after objecting to a White House request that risked violating IRS code.

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• Billy Long, Senate-confirmed IRS commissioner, pushed out over demands to share confidential taxpayer data with the Department of Homeland Security.

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• Brian Morrissey, treasury general counsel, resigned shortly after the administration announced a $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund for political allies.

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The Treasury Department’s public affairs office declined to comment on the turnover itself.

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• “They’re asking them to do stuff that is well beyond the norm, and for some things that may or may not be legal,” — Mark Mazur

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• “Secretary Bessent is doing a fantastic job delivering the President’s agenda for the American people,” — Nick Solheim, the chief executive officer at American Moment, a pro-Trump recruitment organization

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• “People are really concerned about a job that they would normally see as the highlight of their career,” — Nina Olson, the former head of the Taxpayer Advocate, a nonpartisan watchdog group

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• “It’s a real risk to the policy legacy of the administration on tax to not have these roles filled with people that can make sure the policies get implemented in line with the legislation,” — Daniel Bunn

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