Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche on Tuesday signed an agreement that the United States federal government will not pursue any tax claims or audits against President Trump, his family, or his businesses as part of the president’s settlement with the IRS.
“The United States RELEASES, WAIVES, ACQUITS, and FOREVER DISCHARGES each of the Plaintiffs from, and is hereby FOREVER BARRED and PRECLUDED from prosecuting or pursuing, any and all claims, counterclaims, causes of action, appeals, or requests for any relief, including injunctive relief, monetary relief, damages, examinations or similar or related reviews, appeals, debt relief, costs, attorney’s fees, expenses, and/or interest, whether presently known or unknown, that – as of the Effective Date of the Settlement Agreement – have been or could have been asserted by Defendants against any of the Plaintiffs or related or affiliated individuals (including, without limitation, family or others filing jointly), or parties including trusts, parent, sister, or related companies, affiliates, and subsidiaries, by reason of, with respect to, in connection with, or which arise out of (1) any matters that were raised or could have been raised in the Case or the Pending Agency Claims; (2) Lawfare and/or Weaponization; or (3) any matters currently pending or that could be pending (including tax returns filed before the Effective Date) before Defendants or other agencies or departments,” a one-page document read.
Breaking news: The Justice Department expanded the government’s settlement deal over legal claims brought by President Trump, adding a provision that would prevent the IRS from pursuing past tax claims or audits of him, his family, or his businesses. https://t.co/9uiltpcwDh
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) May 19, 2026
NBC News explained further:
The addendum comes a day after the Justice Department announced that Trump and his co-plaintiffs would drop their $10 billion suit against the IRS in connection with the 2022 search of Mar-a-Lago, his Florida home, and the Russian collusion scandal “in exchange” for creating the fund, which the Justice Department said set up a “systematic process to hear and redress claims of others who suffered weaponization and lawfare.”
The Justice Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the expanded agreement.
The addendum blocks the U.S. from seeking damages that could have been asserted against the plaintiffs — Trump, his sons Donald Jr. and Eric and their company — as well as other family members and their companies in “any matters currently pending or that could be pending (including tax returns filed before the Effective Date) before Defendants or other agencies or departments.”
ADVERTISEMENTThe “effective date” would be May 18, the date the settlement was signed. The addendum does not specify which other agencies or departments it is referring to.
The $1.776 billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund” was part of the settlement agreement in President Donald J. Trump v. Internal Revenue Service.
“Per the settlement, plaintiffs will receive a formal apology but no monetary payment or damages of any kind. There are no partisan requirements to file a claim. Any money left when the Fund ceases operations will revert to the Federal Government,” the Justice Department said.
“There is legal precedent for such a Fund, most notably the ‘Keepseagle’ case where the Obama Administration created a $760 million fund to redress various claims alleging racism against the federal government over a period of decades,” it added.
🚨Justice Department Announces Anti-Weaponization Fund: Part of settlement agreement in President Donald J. Trump v. Internal Revenue Service
Per the settlement, plaintiffs will receive a formal apology but no monetary payment or damages of any kind.
There are no partisan…
— U.S. Department of Justice (@TheJusticeDept) May 18, 2026
More from The New York Times:
The top lawyer at the Treasury, Brian Morrissey, resigned on Monday after the Justice Department announced the settlement with Mr. Trump.
Justice Department officials have in part defended the creation of the “anti-weaponization” fund by pointing to the fact that Mr. Trump and his family members will not be paid by it.
But protection from audit could be quite remunerative for Mr. Trump. In 2024, The Times reported that a loss in an I.R.S. audit could cost Mr. Trump more than $100 million.
It is unclear if that examination has concluded or if Mr. Trump, his family members or affiliated entities are under other audits. I.R.S. procedures call for the mandatory audit of the president’s tax returns annually.
ADVERTISEMENTFederal law prohibits the president, vice president and other executive officers from instructing the I.R.S. to start or stop specific audits. But that broad prohibition does appear to include a carve out for the attorney general.
Read the one-page document HERE.
