Deputy Treasury Secretary Michael Faulkender Abruptly Departs After Just Five Months in Role

Another high-profile exit rocks Washington's financial corridors—Michael Faulkender's sudden departure from the Deputy Treasury Secretary position after a mere five months raises eyebrows across both political and financial circles.

Shortest Tenure in Recent Memory

Faulkender's brief stint marks one of the shortest tenures for a deputy secretary in modern Treasury history. The five-month timeline suggests either spectacular misalignment or yet another case of musical chairs in government finance roles—where staying power seems to be measured in quarters rather than years.

Washington's Revolving Door Spins Faster

The rapid exit underscores the accelerating turnover in key financial regulatory positions. When deputy secretaries come and go faster than most Treasury bond auctions, it makes you wonder who's actually steering the ship—or if anyone's at the wheel at all.

Another day, another government finance official heading for the exits—proving once again that in Washington, the only thing more volatile than policy positions are the people who supposedly hold them.

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The number two official at the U.S. Treasury Department, Faulkender played an important role in the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump. His responsibilities included implementing the sprawling tax legislation passed by Congress this summer and helping to pass the Genius Act cryptocurrency legislation that regulates digital assets.

No reason was given for Faulkender’s departure. In a written statement, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said, “Since January, he has played a critical role in overseeing the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s operations and executing on President Trump’s bold economic agenda.”

IRS Connection

Faulkender was briefly the acting commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), a position that has seen high turnover under the TRUMP administration. The president previously removed Billy Long as IRS Commissioner earlier in August, only weeks after his confirmation by the U.S. Senate.

Faulkender joined the administration from the University of Maryland, where he was previously a finance professor. He also served in the Treasury Department during President Trump’s first administration from 2016 to 2020. Faulkender was confirmed by the Senate in March of this year in a party-line vote among Republicans and Democrats.

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