US drops tax claims against Trump in IRS lawsuit settlement

The US government has agreed to permanently relinquish tax claims against President Donald Trump as part of a settlement addressing his $10 billion lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service concerning leaked tax returns. According to the settlement document released on Tuesday by the Justice Department, the US is "forever barred and precluded" from investigating or prosecuting Trump, his sons, and the current tax matters of the Trump Organisation. This remarkable exercise of executive authority not only resolves the litigation but also protects the president from any future financial examination. This decision follows the Trump administration's announcement on Monday of a nearly $1.8 billion fund aimed at compensating allies who feel they were unfairly investigated. The "Anti-Weaponisation Fund," totaling $1.776 billion, permits individuals alleging political targeting, including by the Biden administration's Justice Department, to seek compensation. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, who was questioned by lawmakers on Capitol Hill on Tuesday, did not dismiss the possibility of payouts for January 6 rioters.