In brief
In a civil complaint filed in Miami, Donald Trump and his sons seek $10 billion in damages from the IRS and Treasury Department, accusing them of failing to protect their personal financial information from leaks. The lawsuit stems from the actions of former IRS contractor Charles Littlejohn, currently serving a prison sentence for leaking Trump's tax disclosures to the media. The Trumps claim the leaks caused reputational damage and public embarrassment.
US President Donald Trump and his two sons have filed a billion-dollar lawsuit against the federal government over leaks of their business and personal tax returns.
The civil complaint, filed in Miami federal court, seeks $10bn (£7.25bn) in damages.
The Trump family accuses the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) - the US-wide tax body - and the Treasury Department of failing to prevent the disclosure of confidential, personal financial information by a former IRS contractor.
The contractor, Charles Chaz Littlejohn, is serving a five-year prison sentence after being convicted of leaking the tax disclosures to US media outlets.
Ahead of the 2016 election, Trump had stated he would not release his tax returns due to ongoing audits, a departure from nearly 50 years of presidential norm. His tax returns gained public attention when The New York Times published a report revealing inconsistencies in his tax payments just before the 2020 election.
In their lawsuit, Trump and his sons contend that the IRS and Treasury Department failed to safeguard against such disclosures, which they argue led to significant reputational and financial harm. The lawsuit also claims that Littlejohn exploited his access to taxpayers’ sensitive data to support his political views.
The case highlights ongoing concerns about transparency in political finance and the implications of unauthorized disclosures on personal privacy.
