Trump files lawsuit against the IRS, seeking $10 billion taxpayer-financed payout

Donald Trump has filed a lawsuit against the IRS, seeking at least $10 billion in damages stemming from the leak of his tax returns during his presidency. The lawsuit alleges that the IRS and Treasury Department failed to prevent a former contractor, Charles Littlejohn, from accessing and sharing his tax information with The New York Times, resulting in Littlejohn's imprisonment. This action follows the Trump administration's earlier decision to cut contracts with Booz Allen Hamilton, the firm that previously employed Littlejohn, citing the leak as justification.

The situation is complicated by Trump’s previous demand for $230 million from the Justice Department for investigations following the 2020 election, where he acknowledged he would be the one to approve any payout to himself. This new lawsuit raises questions about whether Trump intends to authorize a payment to himself from the IRS as well.

The case involves a potential conflict of interest, with Trump’s private attorneys facing off against Trump administration attorneys, some of whom previously represented him personally. The absurdity of a president suing the government he leads for $10 billion, and potentially settling with himself, has drawn attention to Trump’s ongoing pattern of seeking retribution against perceived enemies and leveraging his position for personal financial gain.

(Source：Ms Now)