Former President Donald Trump and his two sons have filed a lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Treasury Department, seeking damages of £7.25 billion. They allege that these agencies failed to prevent the unauthorized disclosure of their business and personal tax information, leading to reputational and financial harm. The lawsuit, filed in Miami federal court, demands $10 billion in damages and accuses the IRS and Treasury Department of breaching their duty to safeguard the Trumps’ confidential tax returns.
The complaint also implicates a former IRS contractor, Charles “Chaz” Littlejohn, who leaked the confidential tax data to the media. Littlejohn, who pleaded guilty in 2023 to stealing tax information, was sentenced to five years in prison in 2024. The lawsuit claims that Littlejohn acted out of political motivations, considering Trump to be a threat to democracy and believing that the disclosure of the tax information was necessary to uphold political norms.
The legal action highlights the high-profile media reports surrounding Trump’s tax affairs during his presidency. Although Trump had promised to release his tax returns during his presidential campaigns, he did not do so. Reports revealed that he paid minimal federal income taxes, including just $750 in the year he became president, and no income tax in several previous years. The lawsuit contends that the IRS and Treasury Department failed to protect this information, enabling the leaks to media outlets like The New York Times and ProPublica.
Trump, who distanced himself from his business interests upon assuming office in 2017, is seeking redress for the alleged damages caused by the unauthorized disclosure of his tax information. The lawsuit underscores the ongoing legal battle between Trump and the government agencies involved, with significant financial compensation at stake.