President Donald Trump filed a lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service and the Treasury Department. He sought at least $10 billion in damages. The action stemmed from a leak of his tax returns.
Trump joined his sons, Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, as plaintiffs. The Trump Organization also participated in the suit. They filed the complaint in a federal court in Miami, Florida.
Background of the Leak
A former IRS contractor named Charles Littlejohn accessed the tax records illegally. He leaked the information to media outlets in 2019 and 2020. Outlets such as the New York Times and ProPublica received the data.
Littlejohn worked as a contractor for the IRS at the time. He obtained Trump’s tax returns from nearly a decade earlier. Additionally he accessed records of Trump’s sons and the company. The leak revealed details about Trump’s financial history. However the lawsuit focused on the agencies’ role in the breach.
Allegations Against the Agency
The plaintiffs accused the IRS and Treasury of failing to prevent the disclosure. They claimed the agencies did not take mandatory precautions. Moreover the suit stated that the government breached federal law on taxpayer privacy.
Trump sued in his personal capacity. He did not file as president. As a result, the case highlighted personal harms from the leak. The complaint described the outlets as “leftist media.” It argued that the leak targeted Trump politically
Claims of Harm and Damages
The lawsuit detailed various harms. It stated, “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.”
Furthermore the plaintiffs sought compensation under a law allowing damages for privacy breaches. They demanded at least $10 billion. The filing occurred on January 29, 2026. Meanwhile it drew attention to ongoing issues with tax privacy.
Implications of the Suit
Experts noted the suit’s scale. It represented a rare challenge against federal agencies for data leaks. In addition, it underscored tensions between Trump and government institutions.
