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Trump Sues IRS and Treasury for $10 Billion Over Leaked Tax Info
Former IRS contractor sentenced for leaking tax records to news outlets
Jan. 30, 2026 at 3:47am
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Former President Donald Trump is suing the IRS and Treasury Department for $10 billion, accusing the federal agencies of failing to prevent the leak of his and the Trump Organization's confidential tax records to news outlets between 2018 and 2020. The lawsuit includes Trump's sons Eric and Donald Jr. as plaintiffs and alleges the leaks caused "reputational and financial harm, public embarrassment, and negatively affected" their public standing.
Why it matters
The leak of Trump's tax information was a major political controversy during his presidency, with the records appearing to show he did not pay federal income taxes for many years. This lawsuit represents Trump's latest attempt to recoup damages and hold the government accountable for the breach of his private financial data.
The details
In 2024, former IRS contractor Charles Edward Littlejohn was sentenced to five years in prison after pleading guilty to leaking Trump's and other wealthy individuals' tax information to The New York Times and ProPublica between 2018 and 2020. Littlejohn worked for the defense and national security firm Booz Allen Hamilton, which had contracts with the IRS. The Treasury Department has since cut ties with Booz Allen Hamilton, citing a failure to implement adequate safeguards to protect sensitive data.
- In 2024, former IRS contractor Charles Edward Littlejohn was sentenced to five years in prison.
- Between 2018 and 2020, Littlejohn leaked Trump's and other wealthy individuals' tax information to news outlets.
The players
Donald Trump
The former President of the United States and the lead plaintiff in the lawsuit.
Eric Trump
One of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit, along with Donald Trump Jr. and the Trump Organization.
Donald Trump Jr.
One of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit, along with Eric Trump and the Trump Organization.
Charles Edward Littlejohn
A former IRS contractor who worked for Booz Allen Hamilton and was sentenced to five years in prison for leaking tax information to news outlets.
Booz Allen Hamilton
A defense and national security tech firm that had contracts with the IRS and employed Littlejohn, who leaked tax information.
What they’re saying
“Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said at the time of the announcement that the firm 'failed to implement adequate safeguards to protect sensitive data, including the confidential taxpayer information it had access to through its contracts with the Internal Revenue Service.'”
— Scott Bessent, Treasury Secretary
What’s next
The judge in the case will decide on a future date whether to allow the lawsuit to proceed.
The takeaway
This lawsuit highlights the ongoing tensions between the government's duty to protect taxpayer privacy and the public's interest in accessing information about the finances of powerful individuals. It also raises questions about the security measures in place at government contractors handling sensitive data.
