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Or sign-in if you have an account.Donald Trump is the first U.S. president in recent times to decline to publicly release his tax returns, claiming repeatedly that they are being audited by the IRS. Photo by Kent NISHIMURA/AFP via Getty ImagesThe U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) will not pursue President Donald Trump, his family or companies for back tax claims under an agreement announced on Tuesday by the Justice Department.Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events.Unlimited online access to National Post.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events.Unlimited online access to National Post.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorTrump, his sons Eric and Donald Jr. and the Trump Organization filed a lawsuit against the tax-collecting agency in January seeking US$10 billion in damages following a leak of his tax returns.A former IRS contractor pleaded guilty in 2023 to leaking the tax returns of Trump and other wealthy Americans to the media and received a five-year prison sentence.Get a dash of perspective along with the trending news of the day in a very readable format.By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of NP Posted will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try againTrump dropped the lawsuit against the IRS on Monday in exchange for the creation of a US$1.7 billion fund to compensate political allies who believe that they were unfairly prosecuted under the Biden administration.Trump himself is not eligible for compensation from the “Anti-Weaponization Fund,” which Democrats have denounced as a “slush fund” that would reward the Republican president’s loyalists with taxpayer money.An addendum to the settlement agreement signed by Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and released on Tuesday says the IRS is “forever barred” from pursuing any tax claims against Trump, his family or his businesses that were pending as of the May 18 settlement date.Trump is the first U.S. president in recent times to decline to publicly release his tax returns. He has claimed repeatedly that they are being audited by the IRS.Blanche, Trump’s former personal lawyer, appeared before a Senate committee on Tuesday and defended the compensation fund, pushing back against Democratic claims that money is “going to be only given to Republicans or friends of the president.”“Anybody in this country is eligible to apply if they believe they were a victim of weaponization,” Blanche said.On Monday evening, hours after the settlement was announced, U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams, who oversaw the lawsuit, issued an order closing the case and questioning whether the government was being transparent about a settlement.Williams expressed frustration with how the settlement was handled, saying that the U.S. has an “obligation” to uphold the “public’s strong interest in knowing about the conduct of its government and expenditure of its resources” and the “fair administration of justice.”Even so, in her order, the judge said that neither the IRS nor the Justice Department “filed any documents ensuring that settlement was appropriate where there was an outstanding question as to whether an actual case or controversy existed.”The judge had previously ordered Trump and the government to file briefs by May 20 explaining how the case could proceed with Trump effectively in control of both sides of the litigation. Williams on Monday canceled the deadline and said she no longer has any authority over the case.— With additional reporting from BloombergOur website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark nationalpost.com and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here. Join the Conversation This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.