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Thursday 09/04/2026

Trump Sues IRS and US Treasury for $10 Billion Over Tax Return Leaks

Donald Trump and sons outside Miami courthouse with documents
Ethan BrooksEthan Brooks

In This Article

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Donald Trump and his sons have filed a $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS and US Treasury over leaked tax returns.
  • The lawsuit claims the agencies failed to prevent former IRS contractor Charles Littlejohn from leaking confidential tax information.
  • Littlejohn, who leaked the tax data to media outlets, has been sentenced to five years in prison.
  • The Trump family alleges significant reputational and financial harm due to the leaks, which were published by The New York Times and ProPublica.
  • This legal action is part of a series of lawsuits Trump has filed against media outlets and government agencies.

Former US President Donald Trump, alongside his sons Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, has launched a $10 billion lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the US Treasury Department. The legal action, filed in a Miami federal court, accuses the agencies of failing to prevent the unauthorized disclosure of Trump's tax returns by a former IRS contractor, Charles Littlejohn.

Allegations of Negligence and Harm

The lawsuit contends that the IRS and Treasury did not take necessary precautions to safeguard Trump's confidential tax information, which was subsequently leaked to media outlets such as The New York Times and ProPublica. The Trump family claims that these disclosures caused irreparable harm to their reputations and financial interests, portraying them in a false light and negatively impacting their public standing.

The Role of Charles Littlejohn

Charles Littlejohn, the former IRS contractor at the center of the controversy, was charged in 2023 with leaking tax records of Trump and other wealthy Americans. He pleaded guilty to the charges and was sentenced to five years in prison in January 2024. The lawsuit accuses Littlejohn of using his access to taxpayer data to further a personal political agenda, believing Trump to be a threat to democracy.

A Pattern of Legal Battles

This lawsuit is part of a broader pattern of legal actions taken by Trump against media outlets and government entities. In addition to the current case, Trump has pursued lawsuits against The New York Times, Penguin Random House, the Wall Street Journal, and the BBC, seeking billions in damages for what he claims are efforts to undermine his political and personal reputation.

WHAT THIS MIGHT MEAN

The lawsuit against the IRS and US Treasury could have significant legal and political implications. If successful, it may set a precedent for how government agencies handle sensitive information and the consequences of failing to protect it. The case also highlights ongoing tensions between Trump and the media, as well as his continued use of litigation as a tool to address perceived grievances. Legal experts will be watching closely to see how the courts handle the balance between privacy rights and public interest in high-profile cases like this one.