Donald Trump, along with his sons Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, has initiated a $10 billion lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Treasury Department, alleging that these federal agencies leaked confidential tax information. The Trump Organization is also included as a plaintiff in the lawsuit filed in a Miami federal court.
The complaint asserts that the actions of the defendants have resulted in reputational and financial harm, public embarrassment, and a tarnished business reputation for the plaintiffs. The lawsuits follow the conviction of former IRS contractor Charles “Chaz” Littlejohn, who pleaded guilty in October 2023 to disclosing Trump’s tax returns to the New York Times and ProPublica. He is currently serving a five-year prison sentence.
The complaint claims that Littlejohn disclosed confidential details regarding Trump’s business activities to ProPublica, which allegedly led to the publication of inaccurate information that depicted the president’s tax returns as fraudulent. Trump’s legal team contends that the IRS failed to prevent a politically motivated employee from leaking sensitive information to multiple media outlets.
In a related development, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent recently voided over $21 million in contracts with Booz Allen Hamilton, the consulting firm that employed Littlejohn, citing inadequate safeguards in protecting sensitive taxpayer data. The Treasury has also noted that Littlejohn’s leaks affected the personal information of numerous taxpayers.
This lawsuit marks another instance in which Trump is seeking financial redress from the government, as he previously pursued damages from the Justice Department regarding allegations of being improperly targeted by the FBI.
Why this story matters:
- Raises questions about government accountability and data security.
Key takeaway:
- The lawsuit underscores the Trump family’s ongoing legal battles involving perceived injustices from federal agencies.
Opposing viewpoint:
- Critics argue that the lawsuit may be a strategy to distract from broader issues regarding transparency and tax-related investigations.
