Billy Long: Trump's choice to lead IRS has a few tax issues of his own
President Trump's choice to lead the embattled Internal Revenue Service fought off accusations of being a 'crook' at a Senate confirmation hearing as he defended his business activities selling advice on how to claim 'fake' tax breaks.
Billy Long, a Republican former congressman from Missouri, would become the sixth IRS commissioner this year if confirmed by the Senate. The tax-collecting agency is in a period of upheaval after Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (Doge) removed much of its staff.
Long, 69, a former auctioneer who brought forward a bill to abolish the IRS while in Congress, is the latest in a line of loyal Trump-supporting candidates with apparently limited experience put forward for top federal jobs.
The Democratic senator Elizabeth Warren asked him during
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Sky News
14 minutes ago
- Sky News
Trade war: UK exemption from 50% steel tariffs is conditional, Trump warns
The UK's exemption from a doubling of duties on most US steel and aluminium imports is dependent on the ratification of May's trade pact between the two countries, the White House has warned. Tariffs of 50% were imposed on all shipments from early on Wednesday morning, except those arriving from UK shores which will still be subject to a 25% rate. Donald Trump decided to "provide different treatment" to the UK as he doubled down on the rates that had been in place since March as part of his early trade war salvoes which are designed to encourage more domestic production. White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett said of the move: "We started at 25 and then after studying the data more, realised that it was a big help, but more help is needed and so that is why the 50 is starting." The decision to spare UK products from the hike currently amounts to a reprieve of just over a month, however, as the clock ticks down to a US deadline of 9 July when wider tariff pauses for US trading partners could be applied. President Trump's executive order said of the UK situation: "On or after July 9, 2025, the Secretary may adjust the applicable rates of duty and construct import quotas for steel and aluminium consistent with the terms of the EPD [economic prosperity deal], or he may increase the applicable rates of duty to 50 percent if he determines that the United Kingdom has not complied with relevant aspects of the EPD". 2:45 Even if the trade pact agreed with the UK was to be fully enacted by that time, quotas within that agreement could still technically mean that a higher rate will apply in future. The government of Sir Keir Starmer has said it is continuing to work with US officials to agree the terms. A spokesperson said: "The UK was the first country to secure a trade deal with the US earlier this month and we remain committed to protecting British business and jobs across key sectors, including steel as part of our Plan for Change. "We're pleased that as a result of our agreement with the US, UK steel will not be subject to these additional tariffs. We will continue to work with the US to implement our agreement, which will see the 25% US tariffs on steel removed." The UK steel industry was cautious in its own response, while welcoming the reprieve. 2:42 Gareth Stace, the director general of UK Steel, said: "Continued 25% tariffs will benefit shipments already on the water that we were concerned would fall under a tax hike. "However, uncertainty remains over timings and final tariff rates, and now US customers will be dubious over whether they should even risk making UK orders. "The US and UK must urgently turn the May deal into reality to remove the tariffs completely."
Sky News
14 minutes ago
- Sky News
Why doesn't Musk like Trump's 'Big Beautiful Bill'?
👉 Follow Trump100 on your podcast app 👈 It's day 135 of Donald Trump's second term, and our US correspondents Mark Stone and Martha Kelner discuss Elon Musk's exit from his Department of Government Efficiency role last week, and his harsh criticism of Trump's "big beautiful" spending bill in a furious X post on Tuesday. Plus, Hamas and Israel have reacted to Mark's Monday interview with former State Department spokesman Matt Miller, who said that "without a doubt" war crimes had been committed in Gaza by Israel, which is in stark contrast to what he said in office. If you've got a question you'd like the Trump100 team to answer, you can email it to trump100@ You can also watch all episodes on our YouTube channel.
Times
18 minutes ago
- Times
Starmer handed five-week reprieve from Trump's steel tariffs
President Trump exempted British steel and aluminium exports from new 50 per cent tariffs while giving ministers five weeks to finalise details of a trade deal with the United States. In an executive order, Trump said UK exporters would be spared from the doubling of tariffs that are due to come into effect on Wednesday, but appeared to set a new deadline of next month for the deal to be finalised. The order stated that if the UK had not complied with 'relevant aspects' of the Economic Prosperity Deal signed last month, then the US 'may increase the applicable rates of duty to 50 per cent … on or after July 9'. Trump said: 'I have further determined that it is necessary and appropriate to allow for the implementation of the US-UK Economic Prosperity Deal of May 8, 2025, and to accordingly provide different treatment for imports of steel and aluminium articles, and their derivatives, from the United Kingdom.' Trump's move came after steel manufacturers warned ministers that 'highly damaging' delays to implementing the trade deal were already costing them millions of pounds in lost business. Trade from the US has dried up, they said, as American importers put orders on hold in the hope of escaping current tariff levels of 25 per cent, which is still being applied to UK exports. Senior government figures have blamed the US side for delays in getting the deal over the line, saying that negotiations on the technical aspects of the steel and aluminium quotas have been 'complicated'. Almost a month since Starmer and Trump agreed in principle to spare Britain's steel, car and aluminium industries from US tariffs, officials say they are still some way from completing the deal. The government said ministers were 'pleased that as a result of our agreement with the US, UK steel will not be subject to these additional tariffs'. It added: 'We will continue to work with the US to implement our agreement, which will see the 25 per cent US tariffs on steel removed.' However, the Conservatives have accused ministers of 'misleading the public' over the deal. Andrew Griffith, the shadow business secretary, said: 'Labour told the British public we had a deal with the US, but one month on, there is no deal in sight, meaning British businesses and workers continue to suffer because of Labour's failed negotiations. 'After snatching the winter fuel payment, lying about not increasing taxes, and misleading the public by saying the US trade deal was done, the public will rightly not trust a word Labour says.' Trump's move came after Jonathan Reynolds, the business secretary, held talks with his US counterpart, Jamieson Greer, to discuss the difficulties in finalising the agreement. However, officials admitted it could take a number of weeks to get the agreement over the line. Speaking after the meeting, a government spokesman said both sides agreed that they wanted to implement agreements 'on sectoral tariffs as soon as possible'. 'The pair agreed that businesses and consumers on both sides of the Atlantic must start to feel the benefits of the deal soon, with both sides committing to work closely to make that happen,' the official said. Under the much-vaunted trade agreement announced last month, Britain could continue to export steel, aluminium and cars to the US free of tariffs, in return for dropping tariffs on American beef and ethanol exports. However, exact quotas for different types of steel and aluminium products were not specified. There were also unanswered questions over whether steel products only partially made in the UK would be covered by the deal. Speaking to MPs before the announcement, Russell Codling, a director at Tata Steel, said the firm currently supplied about £150 million worth of steel to the US that was now being hit by tariffs. 'The 25 per cent tariff was a big shock to us and the 50 per cent tariff is really quite devastating,' he said. 'Where do we go next? What is the future for our business?' Codling added that his message to the government was to 'act as quickly as possible' to get the deal over the line. Andy Richardson, the managing director of Special Melted Products, said that his firm had suffered a 'complete cessation of orders' since tariffs came into effect. 'We are losing business rapidly,' he said. 'Even if the trade deal was fully clarified tonight, I have significant concerns for the job security of people who work in my plant and other metal producers around the UK. It needs to happen really, really quickly.' Chrysa Glystra, director of trade and economic policy at UK Steel, said: 'The delay in implementing the deal is highly damaging to UK industry.' UK Steel welcomed Trump's decision to keep tariffs at 25 per cent on imports of British steel and aluminium for now, describing it as 'a welcome pause', but said that 'uncertainty remains' over the final rate. Gareth Stace, its director general, said that Reynolds had acted swiftly, recognising that steel trade stability and security between the two nations is 'of utmost importance'. Stace said: 'Continued 25 per cent tariffs will benefit shipments already on the water that we were concerned would fall under a tax hike. However, uncertainty remains over timings and final tariff rates, and now US customers will be dubious over whether they should even risk making UK orders. 'The US and UK must urgently turn the May deal into reality to remove the tariffs completely. 'At an already crushing time for our steel industry, with global oversupply and weak demand, we must continue to work together to support sales levels in our second most important export market. 'It is also time for the UK government to take decisive action domestically on trade defence. There is plain evidence of trade diversion switching gears into the UK after the EU stepped up its trade defences, and now we must do the same. 'Imports are flooding into the UK market, depressing steel prices and taking away market share. We must not lose sight of our domestic market while battling to stabilise exports to the US.' Trump confirmed the rise in import duties for the rest of the world, arguing the 50 per cent tariffs would stop 'foreign countries that continue to offload low-priced, excess steel and aluminium in the United States market'.
