Trump Sues IRS and Treasury for $10 Billion Over Leaked Tax Records

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Former President Donald Trump is suing the Internal Revenue Service and Treasury Department for $10 billion, alleging that they failed 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 was filed in a federal courthouse in Miami and also names Trump's sons Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, as well as the Trump Organization, as plaintiffs.

Why it matters

This lawsuit represents an escalation in Trump's long-running battle with the IRS and Treasury Department over the disclosure of his tax returns, which he has fought to keep private. The case could have significant implications for government accountability and the protection of sensitive taxpayer information.

The details

According to the lawsuit, the 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 lawsuit stems from the 2024 sentencing of former IRS contractor Charles Littlejohn, who pleaded guilty to leaking Trump's tax records to The New York Times in 2020.

• In 2020, The New York Times published exclusive reporting that showed Trump had paid only $750 in federal income taxes in 2016 and 2017.
• In 2024, Charles Littlejohn was sentenced to 5 years in prison after pleading guilty to leaking Trump's tax records to The New York Times.
• The lawsuit was filed on Thursday, January 30, 2026.

What’s next

The judge in the case will determine whether the lawsuit has merit and if the IRS and Treasury Department can be held liable for the disclosure of Trump's tax records.