DOJ settlement with Trump raises alarms over IRS audit limits
A Justice Department settlement with Donald Trump bars some IRS action on past filings, drawing criticism from lawmakers and legal experts.
The Justice Department's settlement of Donald Trump's lawsuit over leaked tax returns includes an addendum that blocks the IRS from taking a broad range of actions tied to tax filings made before May 19, 2026, by Trump, his family and related businesses. The department called the provision a customary part of resolving claims and said it applies only to existing audits, not future ones. But critics said it could violate a federal ban on executive branch interference in IRS audits. Sen. Ron Wyden, the top Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, said the arrangement was unlawful and pledged to fight it. Trump and his two eldest sons sued the IRS in January for $10 billion over the disclosure of their business and personal tax returns.