The justice department quietly added a provision barring the IRS from auditing Donald Trump’s tax returns on Tuesday, amending a widely criticized agreement that creates a secretive and loosely controlled $1.776bn fund to compensate allies of the president.
The addendum, signed by Todd Blanche, the acting attorney general, says the government is “forever barred” and “precluded” from examining the tax returns of Trump, his family, company and “related companies”. The agreement applies to anything filed before the agreement was reached. It was posted on the justice department website on Tuesday morning, a day after the department announced creation of the fund.
US justice department ‘forever’ bars IRS from auditing Trump’s past tax returns
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/may/19/trump-irs-settlement-tax-returns
68 Comments
just_another_person@lemmy.world · 152 pts · 99d
Lol. That's not a thing. This is an outright signal that they missed something that was easily open to prosecution.
toast@retrolemmy.com · 39 pts · 99d
"missed"
halcyoncmdr@piefed.social · 15 pts · 99d
"Missed" meaning they probably disclosed something they were supposed to keep off the books.
Redditsux@lemmy.world · 98 pts · 99d
Trump is merely a vigorous test of the American democratic system, and that system has thoroughly failed. It lacks safeguards, guardrails, and checks and balances. If USA survives Trump presidency, and that is an IF, they need to rectify all of its failings immediately. Otherwise they are just inviting another authoritarian to take it over and make it a dictatorship.
leoj@piefed.social · 22 pts · 99d
maybe we survive just because he is an incompetent baffoon and this is the wake up call that fixes everything... Right? Tell me its gonna be ok mommy?
krashmo@lemmy.world · 12 pts · 99d
It might be if we don't turn around and elect Joe Biden or some other dinosaur again
backalleycoyote@lemmy.today · 15 pts · 99d
“You’ll get who Israel wants and you’ll like it.” -Chuck Schumer
PunnyName@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 99d
You dropped this
IF
FlyingCircus@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 99d
America has always been an authoritarian dictatorship of capital. The rich have always ruled this country with impunity, and workers have never been allowed to hold real political power. American democracy has always been an illusion and marketing trick.
Malyca@lemmy.zip · 1 pts · 97d
I think it's time to roll credits on this experiment :(
kmartburrito@lemmy.world · 69 pts · 99d
Clearly the behavior of someone that has nothing to hide.
Also,
thlibos@thelemmy.club · 46 pts · 99d
LOL, you mean until a future addendum undoing it and then it's like it never existed? Clowns..
foggy@lemmy.world · 14 pts · 99d
No no it's for super infinity forever + 1.
thlibos@thelemmy.club · 2 pts · 98d
Stephen Miiler called it! No take backs!
underThunder@thelemmy.club · 32 pts · 99d
grue@lemmy.world · 26 pts · 99d
Because if you try to discuss what needs to be done on the typical means of communication in the 21st century (i.e., fascist-controlled social media), you'll be censored (and possibly referred to the FBI for prosecution as a "terrorist") before you can even begin to get organized.
PunnyName@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 99d
Normal is what got us here. It's been a long time coming. Time to start lobbing mortars at the White House when he's in the shower.
SnarkoPolo@lemmy.world · 31 pts · 99d
This is fascism. It's our new reality. Be ready for very bad times.
tacoplease@lemmy.world · 11 pts · 99d
This is what the 2A is for.
IndridCold@lemmy.ca · 6 pts · 99d
Americans are far too chickenshit to do anything like that.
PunnyName@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 99d
Problem is, most of the ones who have the guns are also the ones that like him and his corruption.
tacoplease@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 99d
Then the Secret Service must all be fired for not being patriotic enough to put two into the back of the head.
PunnyName@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 98d
Fired by whom?
tacoplease@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 97d
A firing squad
SaveTheTuaHawk@lemmy.ca · 1 pts · 99d
No, the 2A is in case black people want to elect another President.
Lucidlethargy@sh.itjust.works · 4 pts · 98d
Ready? We've been living in them for a while now...
crazycraw@crazypeople.online · 26 pts · 99d
what a stupid time to be alive.
PunnyName@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 99d
I really should have killed myself like I said I would. But fuck, I want to be part of the world's largest block party when he fucking dies.
crazycraw@crazypeople.online · 4 pts · 99d
please -just live- man. I know all this shit is whack but it's life. good and bad comes and goes.
time is the real fucker.
PunnyName@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 98d
Depression is a helluva drug
BarneyPiccolo@lemmy.cafe · 24 pts · 99d
I can't wait until they audit him for real, and he starts screaming about his "Perfect Settlement."
cmbabul@slrpnk.net · 5 pts · 99d
Look if your gonna take whatever incredible mind altering drugs youre on the least you could do is share them with the rest of the class
prole@lemmy.blahaj.zone · 24 pts · 99d
Joke of a country
CircaV@lemmy.ca · 22 pts · 99d
They will receive justice. Otherwise the US is just a failed state.
tortina_original@lemmy.world · 17 pts · 99d
US has been a failed state for a long time. It's just that Americans wouldn't see it. Any attempt to talk about corruption and dangers of 2 party system (and both parties have same owners) was always met with ridicule and chest beating. I suppose decades of propaganda that never stopped did its thing. And now those same people are asking me what are they supposed to do, because there is nothing they can do (according to their own words)? Always fucking victims. Same people that bragged about 2nd amendment and their heroism and freedoms are now victim tweeting all day long. And they think that is resistance. They can't handle the thought of losing their comfort(s).
America is a country of cowards now. And it didn't use to be.
I always used to say that US' biggest export was corruption. It still is.
bagsy@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 99d
America is 100% a country of selfish cowards.
StupidBrotherInLaw@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 99d
Remember that if you criticize the Democratic party and don't 'vote blue no matter who,' you're a Russian operative undermining the US election process. It's not that you have a fully functional brain and see both sides are actually all on one side. Russian operative. Only option.
/s, fucking Americans
SaveTheTuaHawk@lemmy.ca · 14 pts · 99d
Name one president who has received justice for criminal acts in the USA in 250 years.
CircaV@lemmy.ca · 3 pts · 99d
True. 🤷♂️🤷🤷♀️
Jax@sh.itjust.works · 2 pts · 98d
What was does not need to be what will be, things can change. If we somehow claw things back from the fascists I, for one, will be screaming from rooftops if the Trump crime family is not imprisoned entirely or forced to run somewhere like Russia.
FreshParsnip@lemmy.ca · 18 pts · 98d
What kind of malarkey is this? The writers of real life should be fired
melsaskca@lemmy.ca · 17 pts · 99d
I starting to believe Paula Poundstone and think trump is so tired of losing that he's trying to get "fired" by these egregious, in-your-face acts.
Pacattack57@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 98d
Lmao imagine Trump sweating while eating a Big Mac and wondering what the hell else he could do to get fired. He participated in a pedophile ring, started a war, kidnapped the leader of a foreign country, killed hundreds of thousands of people during Covid. Like WTH else could he do at this point.
melsaskca@lemmy.ca · 1 pts · 98d
I agree. I just hope that, way deep down, american citizens will encounter a tipping-point.
Meat_Of_Nan@lemmy.world · 17 pts · 99d
Fishnoodle@lemmy.world · 15 pts · 99d
I'm gonna stop having my taxes deducted ahead of time. It's not much, but fuck them. Why let them get the interest?
9tr6gyp3@lemmy.world · 11 pts · 99d
They charge an underpayment penalty for doing that now.
Fishnoodle@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 99d
What's the penalty?
9tr6gyp3@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 99d
https://www.irs.gov/payments/underpayment-of-estimated-tax-by-individuals-penalty
TheCriticalMember@aussie.zone · 12 pts · 99d
Cool and normal.
billwashere@lemmy.world · 11 pts · 99d
I am looking forward to the "LegalEagle" breakdown of how this is complete bullshit….
Donjuanme@lemmy.world · 9 pts · 99d
You don't need an expert to tell you this is bullshit, it's complete bullshit, the president is a citizen of the United States like the rest of us.
billwashere@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 99d
You’re totally right since this doesn’t even come close to passing the smell test. I just like when they dunk on this shit. Not that anyone will ever do anything about it.
SaveTheTuaHawk@lemmy.ca · 3 pts · 99d
Not according to SCOTUS. They ruled he is above the laws.
Lemmy Americans are bizarre, you guys really don't understand what has been happening since 2025.
Janx@piefed.social · 10 pts · 99d
Totally normal thing to see in a healthy democracy.
Etterra@discuss.online · 7 pts · 99d
That won't outlast the next administration. If there is one.
bold_atlas@lemmy.world · 5 pts · 99d
Can't wait for them discover even more crimes that won't result in charges.
CircaV@lemmy.ca · 2 pts · 99d
🎯🎯🎯You don’t build yourself a ballroom if you’re leaving.
Etterra@discuss.online · 1 pts · 98d
To be fair death still comes one to a customer.
CircaV@lemmy.ca · 2 pts · 98d
True but that could still be a over a decade away
blackbearjesus27@lemmy.world · 7 pts · 99d
Well he could release them then right? Wasnt that the reason he would never release them previously?
henfredemars@lemdro.id · 7 pts · 99d
So cool. Much rule of law.
santa@sh.itjust.works · 6 pts · 99d
Lol. He thinks he king
Auli@lemmy.ca · 10 pts · 99d
So far he is right.
ruuster13@lemmy.zip · 6 pts · 99d
The fund amount is a dog whistle for 1776.
tacoplease@lemmy.world · 5 pts · 99d
1776 for Trump, zero for you.
CharlesDarwin@lemmy.world · 6 pts · 99d
Huh. I wonder if Spanky has something to hide, hmmmm?
Prikkeres@feddit.nl · 5 pts · 98d
After ten long years of no consequences whatsoever, I’m kinda leaning to the you-brought-this-on-yourselves… Still wish you good luck, though.
anon_8675309@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 99d
You only do this if you have something to hide.
BillCheddar@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 97d
It literally doesn't fucking matter what Trump says, or what one of his Nazi Lackeys signs.
We can do whatever the fuck we want to him and his family. Seize their assets and prosecute every Trump under RICO laws? Sure. Drag him into court and prosecute him for fraud and insider trading? Doesn't matter if the Supreme Court says no; those fuckers can hang right next to him.