The U.S. Senate confirmed President Trump’s appointment of former southwest Missouri congressman Billy Long as the ambassador to Iceland.
On May 18, the Senate voted on nearly 50 appointments in total for U.S. attorneys, marshals and ambassadors, including Long. The Senate confirmed the appointments with a vote of 46 to 43, with 11 senators not voting.
It was a long road to confirmation for Long, who President Trump abruptly removed as the Internal Revenue Service commissioner and appointed as ambassador to Iceland in August 2025. Long spent two months leading the IRS before his sudden departure.
In early 2026, Long landed in the hot seat and had to issue a public apology for comments suggesting Iceland should become the 52nd U.S. state, with him serving as governor. Long’s comments, which he said were a joke, were met with a backlash from the country and the Arctic region.
Long served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2011 to 2023, and previously spent multiple years as a talk radio host.
