Trump sues the IRS and Treasury Department for $10 billion over leaked tax records

[LetMyPeopleVote]

The president argued in the lawsuit that the agencies failed to prevent a former contractor from leaking his tax returns from nearly a decade ago to news outlets.

BREAKING: Trump sues the IRS and Treasury Department for billion over his leaked tax records.

— NBC News (@nbcnews.com) 2026-01-30T01:03:57.953Z

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-sues-irs-treasury-department-10-billion-leaked-tax-records-rcna256626

President Donald Trump is suing the Internal Revenue Service and Treasury Department for $10 billion, alleging that they failed to take necessary steps to prevent a former IRS employee from improperly disclosing his tax returns, and those of his sons and his company, to news outlets.

The lawsuit, filed Thursday at a federal courthouse in Miami, says Trump is suing in his personal capacity, not as president. The other plaintiffs include two of Trump’s sons — Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump — and the Trump Organization.

"Defendants have caused Plaintiffs reputational and financial harm, public embarrassment, unfairly tarnished their business reputations, portrayed them in a false light, and negatively affected President Trump, and the other Plaintiffs’ public standing," the complaint said.

The Treasury and IRS did not immediately respond to requests for comment Thursday night.

[Irish_Dem]

1. Trump's smash and grab of the US Treasury/US taxpayer is going quite nicely.

I wonder if we will have anything left in our treasury or govt when he leaves office?

[JBTaurus83]

2. No

And after he leaves, the GOP will go back to saying we have no money for anything.

[Irish_Dem]

5. Yes that is how they do it. Back their limos up to the US treasury, steal it all.

Then say there is no money for anything.
Then the Dems have to come into office and fill up the piggy bank again.
Rinse/Repeat.

[vapor2]

4. He will pocket every last dime

[Irish_Dem]

6. We are watching the crime of the century.

In real time, right in front of us.

[sakabatou]

3. Dump is a literal robber

[surfered]

7. He should win as he hires and fires government defense counsel.

[Disaffected]

8. That's an interesting take they put on it:

"Defendants have caused Plaintiffs reputational and financial harm, public embarrassment, unfairly tarnished their business reputations, ......."

Releasing their tax returns did all that and, they are admitting to it?

[Johonny]

9. Shutdown the government

This shit has to stop. Sorry. Fuck any deal. This is vioe.

[Norrrm]

10. Trump promised to release his taxes. The leaker did him a favor.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

12. This 👆

[Emrys]

11. WOW. If that's the case, Trump & Co. must have had a helluvalot to hide. n/t

[LetMyPeopleVote]

13. MaddowBlog-On his IRS suit, Trump claims 'nobody would care' about a multibillion-dollar payout

Vague presidential assurances don’t turn a baseless lawsuit into a good one.

To hear Trump tell it, “nobody would care” if, as a result of his baseless lawsuit against the IRS, he agreed to award himself billions of taxpayer dollars, so long as he gave the money to charity.

Given his own record, it’s not nearly that simple.
www.ms.now/rachel-maddo...

— Steve Benen (@stevebenen.com) 2026-02-02T15:51:59.212Z

https://www.ms.now/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/on-his-irs-suit-trump-claims-nobody-would-care-about-a-multibillion-dollar-payout

More than five years later, Trump has decided that the criminal penalty wasn’t enough: The disclosure of the truth means he’s also entitled to a $10 billion payout from the federal tax agency, which the incumbent president sued in federal court on Thursday, claiming that the IRS should have done more to limit Littlejohn’s access.

During a brief Q-and-A with reporters on Air Force One on Saturday night, Trump publicly commented on the civil litigation for the first time.

Trump on his multiple suits against the federal government: "I'm supposed to work out a settlement with myself ... We could make it a substantial amount, nobody would care, because it's gonna go to numerous, very good charities."

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com) 2026-02-01T02:20:30.184Z

....As Trump apparently sees it, Americans won’t be outraged if he agrees to pay himself billions of taxpayer dollars, so long as he doesn’t keep billions of taxpayer dollars.

If only it were that simple. For one thing, there are no guarantees that he’d direct all of the money to charitable causes. For another, Trump’s track record of following through on vows to give to charity isn’t exactly sterling, which makes it difficult to give him the benefit of the doubt.

Just as notable is the simple fact that the president filed an absurd $10 billion lawsuit, seeking a payoff he neither needs nor deserves. Vague assurances about where some or all of that money might go at some future date don’t turn a baseless case into a good one.

Writing for MS NOW, political columnist Paul Waldman explained that the president’s litigation is “so brazen, so shameless, so stunning … that it will stand out in history even in a presidential term drowning in self-dealing.” Waldman added, “This latest act deploys Trump’s favorite financial weapon — the bogus lawsuit — but in a way no one even contemplated before.”

On ABC News’ “This Week,” host George Stephanopoulos asked Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche about the obvious conflict of interest, as Trump seeks money from his own administration. Blanche, a former Trump defense attorney, replied, “We’re looking at how to handle that.”

That wasn’t altogether reassuring.