Treasury Employees Union Seeks Court Order to Halt Trump Tax Audit Immunity Deal
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The National Treasury Employees Union asked a federal judge to block a tax-audit immunity agreement for President Donald Trump, arguing it forces IRS staff to choose between political directives and legal obligations.
The National Treasury Employees Union filed a petition on Thursday asking a Virginia federal judge to stop the implementation of a tax-audit immunity agreement that shields President Donald Trump, his sons and the Trump Organization from ongoing IRS examinations. The union says the deal would compel career IRS employees to abandon audits that are already in progress, creating a conflict between following a political order and complying with the law.
The request is part of an amended lawsuit originally filed in May by the advocacy group Democracy Forward, which challenged the $1.8 billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund” that the Trump administration later abandoned after bipartisan criticism. The updated complaint also targets the audit-immunity settlement, which was outlined in a one-page document signed by acting Attorney General Todd Blanche.
"The integrity of our tax system depends on one fundamental principle: every taxpayer is subject to the same laws and the same standards," said Doreen Greenwald, national president of the union, adding that political directives that treat certain taxpayers differently erode public confidence and place civil servants in a difficult position.
The lawsuit argues that the immunity order violates statutes that prohibit a president from interfering with tax audits and asks the court to bar the administration from enforcing the deal. Officials have said the agreement applies only to audits that were open at the time of the settlement and does not shield the president from future examinations.
The original case also contested the proposed “Anti-Weaponization Fund,” which was intended to compensate individuals who claimed they were politically targeted by the Justice Department. Critics warned the fund could benefit participants in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. Judge Leonie Brinkema blocked the fund in May, and Attorney General Blanche later rescinded the plan.
The Justice Department and Trump’s legal team did not respond to requests for comment.