this post was submitted on 20 May 2026

251 points (99.2% liked)

News

37703 readers

1704 users here now

Welcome to the News community!

Rules:

1. Be civil

Attack the argument, not the person. No racism/sexism/bigotry. Good faith argumentation only. This includes accusing another user of being a bot or paid actor. Trolling is uncivil and is grounds for removal and/or a community ban. Do not respond to rule-breaking content; report it and move on.

2. All posts should contain a source (url) that is as reliable and unbiased as possible and must only contain one link.

Obvious biased sources will be removed at the mods’ discretion. Supporting links can be added in comments or posted separately but not to the post body. Sources may be checked for reliability using Wikipedia, MBFC, AdFontes, GroundNews, etc.

3. No bots, spam or self-promotion.

Only approved bots, which follow the guidelines for bots set by the instance, are allowed.

4. Post titles should be the same as the article used as source. Clickbait titles may be removed.

Posts which titles don’t match the source may be removed. If the site changed their headline, we may ask you to update the post title. Clickbait titles use hyperbolic language and do not accurately describe the article content. When necessary, post titles may be edited, clearly marked with [brackets], but may never be used to editorialize or comment on the content.

5. Only recent news is allowed.

Posts must be news from the most recent 30 days.

6. All posts must be news articles.

No opinion pieces, Listicles, editorials, videos, blogs, press releases, or celebrity gossip will be allowed. All posts will be judged on a case-by-case basis. Mods may use discretion to pre-approve videos or press releases from highly credible sources that provide unique, newsworthy content not available or possible in another format.

7. No duplicate posts.

If an article has already been posted, it will be removed. Different articles reporting on the same subject are permitted. If the post that matches your post is very old, we refer you to rule 5.

8. Misinformation is prohibited.

Misinformation / propaganda is strictly prohibited. Any comment or post containing or linking to misinformation will be removed. If you feel that your post has been removed in error, credible sources must be provided.

9. No link shorteners or news aggregators.

All posts must link to original article sources. You may include archival links in the post description. News aggregators such as Yahoo, Google, Hacker News, etc. should be avoided in favor of the original source link. Newswire services such as AP, Reuters, or AFP, are frequently republished and may be shared from other credible sources.

10. Don't copy entire article in your post body

For copyright reasons, you are not allowed to copy an entire article into your post body. This is an instance wide rule, that is strictly enforced in this community.

founded 2 years ago

MODERATORS

rjc@lemmy.world

Tenthrow@lemmy.world

JonsJava@lemmy.world

gedaliyah@lemmy.world

little_cow@lemmy.world

jeffw@lemmy.world

enu@lemmy.world

251

US justice department ‘forever’ bars IRS from auditing Trump’s past tax returns (www.theguardian.com)

submitted 18 hours ago by MicroWave@lemmy.world to c/news@lemmy.world

49 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Addendum quietly slipped into widely criticized agreement creating a $1.7bn fund to compensate president’s allies

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.

The inclusion only adds to mounting scrutiny of the wider agreement reached on Tuesday. The arrangement was announced after Trump said he was dropping a $10bn lawsuit against the IRS and other specious claims against the government in exchange for creating the compensation fund. IRS officials recommended fighting Trump’s lawsuit, the New York Times reported on Tuesday, but the agency decided to settle it anyway, raising further questions about improper interference.

top 49 comments

sorted by: hot top controversial new old

[–] partial_accumen@lemmy.world 1 points 9 minutes ago

Literally "Rules for thee, and not for me".

[–] Windex007@lemmy.world 18 points 11 hours ago

[–] TrickDacy@lemmy.world 42 points 15 hours ago

What he has done with this is announce loudly that there would be a lot of fraud if they were to be audited/investigated. This is the move of someone who assumes they will never be out of power again.

[–] Bluedragon012@lemmy.world 16 points 13 hours ago* (last edited 13 hours ago)

Irs: "How about we do it anyway? Seems to work for you."

[–] chilldrivenspade@lemmy.world 78 points 17 hours ago (1 children)

breathtaking corruption. i know there’s no shortage of corruption in human history, but you really gotta think trump might be PEAK corruption

[–] TrickDacy@lemmy.world 13 points 15 hours ago* (last edited 15 hours ago) (2 children)

I think he's got the least shame about it, since the 24 news cycle anyhow. He barely bothers to try and hide it.

[–] Soulifix@piefed.world 1 points 57 minutes ago

Even the Bushes when they were in the oval office, did sometimes look over their shoulders as to whether or not what they did was wrong or right on some things. They somehow still had some resemblance of morals.

Trump has none. He doesn't care of anyone or anything. It's all "my way or go fuck yourself".

[–] Signtist@bookwyr.me 4 points 11 hours ago

Yeah, I generally assume all wealthy are as corrupt as this, slipping the right people the right amount of money so that they never have to actually pay for their crimes. Trump just does it out in the open because he's not just your normal corrupt politician, he's a showboating corrupt politician.

[–] amateurcrastinator@lemmy.world 32 points 16 hours ago (1 children)

Guys guys! Always remember: it could have been much much worse with that unpopular Kamala! Remember that there was absolutely nothing that you could have done to prevent this. Nothing!

[+] Grimy@lemmy.world -28 points 15 hours ago* (last edited 15 hours ago) (1 children)

Kamala choosing genocide and the oligarchy over us led directly to this. Stop scapegoating and enabling them.

I voted for her but I hate the losers that defend her. The whole party basically gave us the finger. Kamala was Trump's biggest ally, she threw the fight.

[–] TrickDacy@lemmy.world 31 points 15 hours ago* (last edited 15 hours ago) (1 children)

People don't seem to know what the word defend means anymore. It's not defending anyone to point out the obvious fact that not voting for Harris was a really stupid thing to have done and is what actually led us here. This routine of "voters aren't responsible for their choices because I didn't like the available choices" has grown extremely tiresome. America had a choice and enough people chose extremely poorly, so generations moving forward will pay for it. We have a right to be pissed about that poor choice.

[+] Grimy@lemmy.world -14 points 15 hours ago (2 children)

It's the job of political parties to get votes. They choose their platform. They thought they had an easy win and orchestrated the whole shit show.

Not voting for Harris was stupid, but the fault still lies with the party that chose Israel over you. If you keep enabling, we get the exact same energy next time. They are already trying to push kamala again FFS.

There's such a huge overlap between users that push this and actual Zionists on Lemmy. It wasn't the fuck genocide crowd that's in the wrong but the party that dived into it instead of something sane like universal healthcare. What a fucking joke.

[–] TrickDacy@lemmy.world 19 points 14 hours ago (1 children)

Two things can be true. It can be the democrats' fault also. Which it clearly is. Voters have a responsibility to be informed but they aren't. If anyone is defending anything it's you and your friends defending that ignorance.

I'm not surprised in any way that you implied everyone is a zionist who disagrees with you. That tracks completely.

[+] Grimy@lemmy.world -10 points 14 hours ago* (last edited 14 hours ago) (1 children)

It's first and foremost the people in charge of the party at fault for losing the election. They are the ones that need to change, not the voters.

This is why I see it as Israeli talking points. It's basically saying "Kamala was right, it's the voters that have to learn to stomach genocide, Israel calling the shots and the kleptocracy in general".

The dems are supposed to be the good guys, yet they saw the low low bar that was trump and decided to aim just above it, and missed. We should be vocal about their fuck up, not giving them a pass. You are defending their actions by scapegoating them away.

[–] TrickDacy@lemmy.world 6 points 14 hours ago (1 children)

not the voters.

So you're directly saying ignorance/zealotry is acceptable.

Kamala was right, it's the voters that have to learn to stomach genocide, Israel calling the shots and the kleptocracy in general

Absolutely zero people say or think this, and you making it up here shows you cannot be taken seriously. I do not believe you voted for Kamala. That's just your way of trying to obtain credibility.

[–] Grimy@lemmy.world -5 points 14 hours ago (1 children)

I'm saying the pro genocide zealotry coming from politicians is the actual problem. Being against genocide is far from ignorance.

I understand pragmatism as much as the next guy, and I did take that route, but you will not catch me dead saying the ones that drew the line at genocide are somehow in the wrong.

The party has to change and they were wrong to push the genocide. It's as easy as that, and you are pushing against that change and encouraging their behavior.

And ya, people don't say it outright but that's exactly what it implies.

[–] TrickDacy@lemmy.world 5 points 13 hours ago (1 children)

There will never be a world in which I can agree that people sacrificing everyone's future, while literally making worse the issue they claim to be prioritizing, is acceptable. It's myopic and idiotic to do that, and saying so implies nothing more than exactly that.

I'm inclined to believe that at least half the people spreading this message aren't that stupid though, but rather bad actors, oftentimes foreign-paid, bad actors.

[–] Grimy@lemmy.world -2 points 13 hours ago (2 children)

There will never be a world in which I can agree that people sacrificing everyone's future, while literally making worse the issue they claim to be prioritizing, is acceptable

Literally what the dems did last election, and they orchestrated the situation instead of just reacting to it.

I blame the corrupt politicians instead of ordinary folks making a bad decision, especially when the "bad" decision is the actual moral one (still bad in the scope of things, just morally better). You do you bro.

[–] TrickDacy@lemmy.world 2 points 13 hours ago

the “bad” decision is the actual moral one

It only would have been moral if even the simplest of minds couldn't have foreseen what their action would lead to. They could have but refused to, thereby accepting full culpability.

[–] TrickDacy@lemmy.world 0 points 11 hours ago

Literally what the dems did last election, and they orchestrated the situation instead of just reacting to it.

Interesting that when a small group of people do something, it's horrifying but if millions do it you're okay with it.

[–] Witchfire@lemmy.world 1 points 13 hours ago* (last edited 13 hours ago) (1 children)

The US doesn't have political parties. It has a morality test that asks you to pick between harm reduction, psychopathy, and apathy. Most people pick apathy.

[–] Grimy@lemmy.world -1 points 13 hours ago* (last edited 12 hours ago) (1 children)

Ya, it just feels like people would rather punch down than actual try to get the system to change a bit. Feels like pissing in the wind to go after voters, they aren't the root cause.

Edit: I'm getting downvoted by zeroconnections alt accounts (fedded and robo)

[–] Witchfire@lemmy.world 0 points 13 hours ago* (last edited 13 hours ago) (1 children)

What are you doing to change the system, other than complaining on a niche corner of the Internet

[–] Grimy@lemmy.world 1 points 13 hours ago

Not punching down and trying to hold the actual root cause responsible.

[–] sturmblast@lemmy.world 29 points 16 hours ago (5 children)

Trump isnt a king.

[–] 3abas@lemmy.world 1 points 38 minutes ago

King, president for life, same same

[–] Pat_Riot@lemmy.today 10 points 14 hours ago

Prove it

[–] nondescripthandle@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 15 hours ago

What like theoretically?

[–] Kirp123@lemmy.world 2 points 14 hours ago

Maybe not by name.

[–] 4grams@awful.systems 2 points 16 hours ago (1 children)

Reality would beg to differ.

[–] Blibly@lemmy.world 9 points 15 hours ago (1 children)

No complying in advance, come on now

[–] 4grams@awful.systems 4 points 15 hours ago* (last edited 12 hours ago) (1 children)

Oh, completely agreed. I only say it because I want to fight the actual fight. Labels be damned, the fucker is acting like one, has the power of one, has full immunity from the law and a court of sycophants.

So, he may not have the title, but he sure acts like one. So, let's fight him like one.

[–] Blibly@lemmy.world 2 points 13 hours ago

Agreed. History has shown us what happens to tyrants when the people are fed up

[–] Ryudos@lemmy.world 41 points 18 hours ago (4 children)

I'm not sure how this would affect a future administration of just changing that rule and having a new AG sign that one.

[–] Keilik@lemmy.world 35 points 18 hours ago

I’m not sure why exactly it bars the IRS from investigating honestly, what jurisdiction or control does Blanche and the DOJ really have over the IRS? Is this another move out of the DeSantis playbook, where you just agree and give trump the headline because memories are short and it’s not gonna be your problem soon anyways?

[–] BrianTheeBiscuiteer@lemmy.world 10 points 17 hours ago (2 children)

After this admin all norms are out the window.

[–] Soulifix@piefed.world 1 points 54 minutes ago

All that Trump's actions do and will have done, is say "Hey, future corrupt presidents after me, see? You CAN do anything you want and you WILL get away with it so long as you're the president! Every and all opposition is just noise, just keep being happily corrupt and NOTHING will happen to you!".

It has set that precedent.

[–] Triumph@fedia.io 29 points 17 hours ago

All norms were out the window the moment the "grab them by the pussy" tape came out and nothing happened.

[–] magnue@lemmy.world 8 points 17 hours ago

Future administration?

[–] amateurcrastinator@lemmy.world 1 points 16 hours ago

Your optimism that there will be a future admin is refreshing!

[–] anon_8675309@lemmy.world 7 points 14 hours ago

Doesn’t he owe like $100M? I guess that’s wiped out too?

[–] kbobabob@lemmy.dbzer0.com 12 points 17 hours ago (1 children)

That means Trump can finally release the tax records then?

[–] TrickDacy@lemmy.world 8 points 15 hours ago (1 children)

It's coming in two weeks. Right after he ends the pointless war he started, makes Mexico pay for the wall, and releases details of his healthcare plan.

[–] Soulifix@piefed.world 1 points 53 minutes ago

And pays the tariff reimbursements. And the DOGE checks. And the two other stimulus packages that was supposed to happen sometime ago. Anyday, soon! VERY SOON! STOP BEING IMPATIENT!

[–] Klox@lemmy.world 3 points 17 hours ago

Their no taksies backsies clause is a new one.

[–] BarneyPiccolo@lemmy.cafe 1 points 15 hours ago (1 children)

The money is just a distraction. The real value in this "settlement" is that it gives forever immunity for Trump, his family, and their henchmen. It literally makes them fully above all laws, for the rest of their lives.

[–] matlag@sh.itjust.works 1 points 33 minutes ago

Pretty sure that settlement wouldn't hold under a normal administmation.

[–] Grimy@lemmy.world 0 points 15 hours ago

It's almost like he is building the guillotine himself. I'm guessing this will be followed by a pardon eventually. Mob justice will be the only choice.

[–] hoohoohoot@fedinsfw.app 0 points 18 hours ago

Of course lol