Trump to get audit immunity as $1.8 billion fund in doubt

[demmiblue]

Source: MSN/Bloomberg

(Bloomberg) -- US officials are continuing with an agreement that bars the government from probing past tax filings from President Donald Trump and his businesses, according to a person familiar with the matter, while a plan to set up an “Anti-Weaponization Fund” is on hold.

The Trump administration on Monday privately signaled it was pausing plans to implement the $1.8 billion fund to pay people who claim they were victims of government “weaponization,” Bloomberg has reported.

Another part of the deal banning any audits and tax-related probes of Trump, his family members and his companies that were started before the settlement isn’t affected by the decision to place the fund on hold, said the person who asked to remain anonymous speaking about the sensitive matter.

The White House referred questions to Trump’s personal legal team

Read more: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/trump-to-get-audit-immunity-even-as-18-billion-fund-in-doubt/ar-AA24EV33

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[UpInArms]

1. f**k that

you know he has been cheating or this would not be important

[Give Peace A Chance]

8. FUCKED UP like a soup sandwich

[2na fisherman]

10. So True

It screams "consciousness of guilt." He knows he would likely have all his wealth seized and possible criminal charges filed against him and his corrupt sons and the Trump Organization. Can you say RICO case?

[rurallib]

2. One big reason to vote blue in the midterms

While trump may be able to veto legislation to stop this crap, Dems will at least investigate.

BTW - who is the "agreement" between? Trump and Trump's IRS?

[Lovie777]

3. I don't think so.....

Just because the acting US AG plus DOJ say so it’s still illegal.

[riversedge]

13. yes, but that will take year of wasted tax money spent. Worth it yes.

[Tactical Peek]

4. This shit is fucked up and bullshit in the extreme.

This must be what it is like to live in a country filled with those who are gullible or complicit or both.

[HighFired49]

16. Banana Republic

The term implies deep political corruption, collusion between the government and foreign corporations, and severe socioeconomic inequality between a wealthy elite and an exploited working class.

[sop]

5. Trump's IRS agreement is against the Law, it will not stand.

(From Tax Notes) 'Trump's IRS Audit Deal Denounced as Threat to Law and Code'

"The unprecedented order barring the pursuit of tax claims against President Trump and his affiliates undermines legal accountability and may violate the revenue code’s protections against political interference, according to observers."

"The May 19 order, signed by acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche following the dismissal of Trump v. IRS, No. 1:26-cv-20609 (S.D. Fla. 2026), also likely exceeds the scope of what the Justice Department may do, legal and policy professionals told Tax Notes."

“ 'There is no historical precedent for this kind of presidential immunity from the IRS,' Ajay K. Mehrotra of Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law said. 'This is truly unheard of.' "

"Blanche signed the order as part of an addendum to the settlement agreement to end the lawsuit that Trump, his sons Donald Jr. and Eric, and the Trump Organization LLC, initiated January 29 seeking $10 billion in damages stemming from an unauthorized leak of their confidential tax information."
....
"The order permanently stops the United States from pursuing any claims arising from tax returns filed before the settlement’s effective date against Trump, his family members, affiliated individuals, trusts, and entities."
......
"In a May 21 letter to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Bisignano, Senate Finance Committee ranking member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and member Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., called the agreement 'brazen corruption' and demanded answers on how it materialized, to what extent Trump was involved in its discussions, and whether Treasury General Counsel Brian Morrissey’s May 18 resignation was related to the agreement."
......
"Judge Kathleen M. Williams of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida noted in her order closing Trump v. IRS that the settlement agreement hadn’t been filed with the court."
.....
"Negotiations involving Trump to end tax audits of himself, his family, and his businesses could violate section 7217, which prohibits the president from directly or indirectly requesting the termination of a tax audit, Brandon DeBot of the Tax Law Center at New York University wrote in a blog post."
......
“ 'Trump’s dirty deal has crossed the line into illegality,' Robert Weissman and Lisa Gilbert of Public Citizen said in a statement, adding that the agreement may put IRS officers at risk of breaking the law."

More at link:

https://www.taxnotes.com/featured-news/trumps-irs-audit-deal-denounced-threat-law-and-code/2026/05/22/7w4v1

[travelingthrulife]

20. Who will stop it? Our judicial system appears to be completely broken.

[bluestarone]

6. I worry very much that we may be headed to an administration that will be

Fully out of control with all laws in our country! Is Martial law right around the corner? We will soon find out!

[Bayard]

7. Since the judge has already paused the money to do her own investigation,

I suspect she will throw out the entire, "deal."

[MervinFerd]

9. THE AGREEMENT IS MEANINGLESS.

The IRS will not investigate while Trump is President. And, a Democratic administration will just tear up, or ignore, the agreement.

But, talk it up for the political benefit.

[Karasu]

12. Doesn't the language they used say "in perpetuity" or "forever" or something to that effect? That's what they were

attempting to do.

[Javaman]

17. that was my first thought as well. nt

[Fiendish Thingy]

11. No he won't.

While he’s in office, he won’t be audited, but once he is out, his “agreement” is unenforceable.

[tonekat]

14. NO!!! No immunity for this criminal bum!

That would be a complete travesty and remove all faith in law and institutions, which is hanging on by a thread anyway.

[republianmushroom]

15. Any attorney involved in this should be disbarred.

[Alice B.]

18. Is this maybe what they wanted all along?

Ask for something outrageous (the slush fund) so suddenly audit immunity looks "reasonable?" I say with big air quotes around "reasonable?"

Either way I'm glad posts above make the case it won't hold up.

[riversedge]

19. You are probably spot on!!

[Alice B.]

23. My dream is that we're inching closer to the freezing and seizing of assets. I'm gonna go light a candle.

[republianmushroom]

21. "A land of laws". Another worn out myth.

[Mz Pip]

22. Tax immunity

should not be negotiable. This needs to be stopped as well.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

24. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent refuses to say whether Trump remains exempt from IRS audits

WASHINGTON (AP) — Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent refused to say Wednesday whether President Donald Trump and his family would still get immunity from IRS audits after the administration abandoned plans for a $1.776 billion compensation fund that would have benefited the president’s allies.

“There’s continuing litigation, and I’m unable to comment on ongoing litigation,” Bessent told lawmakers at the Senate Finance Committee hearing.

It was a frustrating answer for Democratic lawmakers looking to get answers from Bessent at a hearing ostensibly focused on the Treasury Department’s budget and came a day after acting Attorney General Todd Blanche seemed to indicate that the portion of the settlement dealing with the IRS audit immunity would still be in effect for the Republican president.

After several failed attempts to get Bessent to answer, Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., said, “It’s been very clear you’re dodging this and you’re trying to use it as an excuse. It’s just outrageous on behalf of the American public.”

https://www.yahoo.com/news/politics/articles/treasury-secretary-scott-bessent-refuses-191942942.html