Trump and his family granted 'forever' immunity from IRS audits

Tax records filed by President Donald Trump, his family members, and his organisations before May 18 can never be audited by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), as per a settlement deal with the federal body over his $10 billion lawsuit.

The Department of Justice's Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche signed a contentious legal addendum attached to the $1.8 billion 'Anti-Weaponization Fund', stating that 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." 

The document specifies that the immunity applies to "monetary relief, damages, examinations or similar or related reviews" that "have been or could have been asserted" against Trump, his relatives, affiliated trusts, and corporate entities.

Under the addendum, the federal government agreed it is "FOREVER BARRED and PRECLUDED from prosecuting or pursuing, any and all claims, counterclaims, causes of action, appeals, or requests for any relief," including "examinations or similar or related reviews" connected to Trump or associated parties. The document also extends to "family or others filing jointly," as well as "trusts, parent, sister, or related companies, affiliates, and subsidiaries."

The document also shields the Trump family from claims involving "any matters currently pending or that could be pending (including tax returns filed before the Effective Date) before Defendants or other agencies or departments." The effective date listed in the settlement is May 18.

The addendum repeatedly references allegations of "Lawfare and/or Weaponization," stating that the government cannot pursue claims by reason of, with respect to, in connection with, or which arise out of those matters. The document does not specify which other agencies or departments are covered by the immunity provision.

A Justice Department spokesperson said the settlement applies "only with respect to existing audits, not future" matters, despite the unusually expansive language in the agreement, NBC reported.

The settlement was finalized ahead of a court-imposed deadline in the case before U.S. District Judge Kathleen M. Williams. The administration had been expected to answer questions regarding Trump's IRS lawsuit and the potential conflict posed by his authority over the Justice Department. Judge Williams closed the case on Monday after the Trump plaintiffs moved to dismiss it.

Democratic lawmakers, who have labelled the settlement a "slush fund" that’ll reward Capitol Hill rioters, amped up their criticism of the President, claiming that Trump was working for his own benefit instead of the country's citizens. Rep. Richard Neal, the top Democrat on the House Ways and Means Committee, called the settlement "corruption in the plainest sight."

"Forcing IRS to abandon every audit, past and present, into Trump, his family, and their businesses while steering $1.8 billion in taxpayer dollars toward his friends, cronies, and Trump-affiliated companies is self-dealing at its most grotesque," Neal said.