“Forever barred and precluded” from pursuing “examinations” of Trump, “related or affiliated individuals,” and related trusts and businesses…
A controversial settlement tied to President Donald Trump’s lawsuit against the IRS reportedly blocks certain future tax-related claims against Trump, his family, and associated business entities while expanding the administration’s new “Anti-Weaponization Fund.”
According to multiple reports, the Justice Department quietly amended the agreement to permanently bar the IRS from auditing or pursuing certain claims connected to Trump family tax filings submitted before the agreement’s finalization. The protections reportedly extend to Trump relatives, affiliated companies, and related entities.
The arrangement emerged after Trump agreed to drop his $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS over the leak of his tax returns. In exchange, the Justice Department created an approximately $1.8 billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund” intended to compensate individuals claiming they were harmed by political targeting or government “weaponization.”
As Politico noted, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche signed off on the sweeping addendum — a move that appears to finally close the chapter on Trump’s years-long battles with the IRS.
The document does not contain signatures from either an IRS representative or any attorney currently representing Trump. Metadata embedded in the file indicates it was either created or scanned at approximately 7:50 a.m. Tuesday:
Blanche did not sign the original settlement agreement, which was signed by Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward, IRS CEO Frank Bisignano and Trump attorney Daniel Epstein.
The Justice Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment on why the waiver wasn’t included in the agreement released Monday and why it isn’t signed by the same people.
John Koskinen, the former IRS commissioner from 2013 to 2017, said the expanded settlement set a “terrible precedent” that could effectively generate a windfall for Trump.“It makes you wonder what the President has to hide in those tax returns. He’s apparently been actively trading in the stock market and, since he knows a lot more about situations than the average investor, he’s probably generated significant taxable earnings,” he said in an emailed statement. “Not auditing his returns is the same as giving him an easy way to, in effect, receive money from the government.”
Danny Werfel, the former IRS commissioner from 2023 to 2025, said he was “unaware of a single precedent where the IRS has agreed in advance to permanently forgo examination of previously filed tax returns for a specific person or business.”
Critics argue the settlement represents an extraordinary conflict of interest because Trump effectively negotiated with agencies under his own administration. Opponents have described the fund as a taxpayer-financed “slush fund” that could benefit Trump allies and politically connected claimants.
The Trump administration has defended the agreement as a legitimate resolution to unlawful disclosures of confidential taxpayer information and broader allegations of politically motivated federal investigations. Legal experts, however, continue debating whether the settlement and audit restrictions could face constitutional or statutory challenges in court.
This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.
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