Former President Donald Trump and his two sons have filed a lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and Treasury Department, seeking £7.25 billion in damages. They claim that their business and personal tax information was unlawfully disclosed, and they expect compensation from the US taxpayer if the lawsuit is successful. Despite promising to release his tax returns during the 2016, 2020, and 2024 presidential elections, Trump failed to do so each time.
The lawsuit, filed in a Miami federal court, requests $10 billion (£7.25 billion) in damages and names the IRS and the Treasury Department as defendants. It alleges that these agencies neglected their legal responsibilities after a former IRS contractor leaked confidential tax data to the media.
Donald Trump, along with his sons Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, as well as the Trump Organization, argue that the disclosures caused significant reputational and financial harm. The lawsuit accuses the agencies of breaching their duty to protect the plaintiffs’ confidential tax returns and related information from unauthorized scrutiny and public exposure.
The legal action claims that due to the leaks, the plaintiffs suffered reputational damage, financial loss, public embarrassment, tarnished business reputations, false portrayals, and negative impacts on their public standing. The disclosures were linked to Charles “Chaz” Littlejohn, a former IRS contractor who illegally accessed tax information belonging to Trump and other wealthy individuals. Littlejohn was sentenced to five years in prison in 2024 after pleading guilty to the theft.
The lawsuit alleges that Littlejohn abused his access to taxpayer data for personal and political purposes, believing he was above the law. He reportedly viewed Trump as a threat to democracy and felt compelled to disclose the information for political reasons.
The legal battle revolves around media reports that emerged during Trump’s presidency, particularly concerning his tax affairs. Trump repeatedly delayed releasing his tax returns, citing an audit as the reason. Reports revealed that he paid minimal federal income taxes and, in some years, paid none at all. The lawsuit contends that the IRS and Treasury Department failed to protect this information, leading to its unauthorized disclosure to The New York Times and ProPublica.
In 2017, Trump stepped down from his role at the Trump Organization before assuming office, passing management to his sons. Neither the Treasury Department nor the IRS has responded to requests for comment from the Mirror.
