A new legal waiver signed Tuesday dramatically expands a settlement between President Trump and the IRS, effectively shielding him, his family, and his businesses from any future tax investigations by the agency.
The one-page document states the IRS is "forever barred and precluded" from prosecuting or pursuing any claims related to Trump or affiliated individuals. The expansion came just one day after the Justice Department released an initial nine-page agreement establishing a $1.8 billion fund to compensate victims of alleged political weaponization.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche signed the new waiver. Notably, Blanche previously served as Trump's personal lawyer, including during his New York criminal fraud trial. The Monday agreement was signed by different parties: the IRS CEO, Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward, and Trump's legal counsel.
The timing and structure of the expanded settlement raises sharp questions about executive power and oversight. Federal law generally prevents most government officials, including the president, from halting specific IRS investigations. The attorney general, however, appears to occupy a different legal position, giving Blanche apparent authority to block future tax enforcement actions against Trump and his circle.
Trump initially sued the IRS after a former contractor leaked his confidential tax returns to media outlets. Rather than pursue direct financial damages, his attorneys negotiated the creation of the $1.776 billion fund, framed as compensation for targets of political persecution across multiple federal agencies.
The deal sparked immediate criticism from observers who noted the unusual nature of a sitting president obtaining a settlement from an agency he ultimately controls. Critics argued the arrangement sidesteps normal congressional oversight and creates a troubling precedent for presidential power.
The Justice Department declined to comment when asked about the Tuesday waiver.
Author James Rodriguez: "This isn't just a settlement, it's a legal lock on the door to any future Trump tax inquiry, and the guy turning the key used to be his lawyer."
Comments