The order had special language reserved for the IRS, making the hiring freeze indefinite. And it came only a week before the start of tax season on Jan. 27, when the agency will s

The 47th commander in chief told a boisterous crowd of supporters that he could also fire the IRS employees, many of whom had salaries funded by $72 billion provided for the federal agency under

A federal hiring freeze is a big deal in St. Louis, where the government is one of the area's biggest employers.