Archive · 30 Jan 2026
Trump Sues IRS, Treasury for $10B Over Tax Leaks
Donald Trump and his family have sued the IRS and Treasury Department for $10 billion.
They say these government agencies didn't stop a worker from leaking their private tax information to news organizations like The New York Times and ProPublica.
The leaks happened in 2019 and 2020.
The worker who leaked the information, Charles Littlejohn, is already in prison.
Trump's team says the leaks hurt their reputation and business.
The lawsuit was filed just a few days after the Treasury Secretary canceled contracts with the company that employed Littlejohn.
The IRS and Treasury Department say they had security measures in place, and the leaks were the result of a rogue worker's actions.
Littlejohn's lawyer says he acted out of a belief that the public had a right to the information.
Donald Trump, his two eldest sons, and the Trump Organization sued the IRS and Treasury Department for $10 billion over alleged leaks of their tax returns to the media in 2019 and 2020.
The lawsuit claims the agencies failed to prevent former IRS contractor Charles Littlejohn from leaking the tax returns to 'leftist media outlets' including The New York Times and ProPublica.
The plaintiffs allege that the leaks caused reputational and financial harm, public embarrassment, and negatively affected their public standing.
Littlejohn is serving a five-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to disclosing tax return information, including Trump's records to The New York Times and ProPublica.
The lawsuit was filed just three days after the US Treasury Secretary canceled all department contracts with the consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton, which employed Littlejohn.
- Who
- Donald Trump, his two eldest sons, and the Trump Organization (plaintiffs); IRS and Treasury Department (defendants)
- What
- A $10 billion lawsuit over the alleged unlawful disclosure of Trump's tax returns to the media
- When
- The lawsuit was filed on Thursday (specific date not mentioned); leaks occurred in 2019 and 2020
- Where
- The lawsuit was filed in Miami federal court
- Why
- Trump and his co-plaintiffs allege that the IRS and Treasury Department failed to prevent the leaks, causing reputational and financial harm
Trump's Legal Team
IRS and Treasury Department
Liability for Leaks
Trump's Legal Team
The IRS and Treasury Department failed to prevent the unauthorized disclosure of Trump's tax returns, demonstrating negligence and potentially willful misconduct.
IRS and Treasury Department
The IRS and Treasury Department had security measures in place, and the leaks were the result of a rogue contractor's actions, not systemic failure.
Motivation of the Leaker
Trump's Legal Team
The leaker, Charles Littlejohn, acted with malicious intent to harm Trump politically and financially.
IRS and Treasury Department
Littlejohn acted out of a 'deep, moral belief' that the public had a right to the information, as stated by his lawyer during sentencing.
- Plaintiffs
- Donald Trump, his two eldest sons (Donald Jr. and Eric), and the Trump Organization
- Defendants
- Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and Treasury Department
- Amount Sued For
- $10 billion (with potential for more in punitive damages)
- Alleged Leaker
- Charles Littlejohn, former IRS contractor
- Media Outlets Involved
- New York Times, ProPublica
- Leak Timeframe
- 2019 and 2020
- Leaker's Sentence
- 5 years in prison (pleaded guilty in October 2023, sentenced in January 2024)
- Other Taxpayers Affected
- 406,000 taxpayers
- Contract Cancellation
- Treasury canceled $21 million in contracts with Booz Allen Hamilton, Littlejohn's employer
Sources
$10 billion lawsuit: IRS, Treasury department faces Trump's wrath over tax return leak
Trump sues IRS, Treasury Dept for $10 billion over tax return leak
Trump sues IRS, Treasury for $10 billion over tax data leak: ‘Reputational harm’
Trump sues IRS, Treasury Department for $10 billion over tax return leak
Trump Sues US Revenue Service, Treasury For $10 Billion Over Tax-Return Leak
Trump, sons sue IRS, Treasury Department for $10 billion over alleged tax leaks
