Trump reaches a tax settlement with the federal government, IRS is restricted from pursuing its past audits that sparked controversy

Documents from the U.S. Department of Justice show that Trump has reached an unusual settlement agreement with the federal government, terminating a $10 billion lawsuit filed by him and his businesses against the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and further expanding the relevant terms.

The agreement states that the IRS will be "permanently prohibited" from investigating or continuing existing audits related to tax returns previously submitted by Trump, his businesses, and family members. The Department of Justice stated that this restriction only applies to the scope of existing audits.

Meanwhile, the U.S. government has agreed to establish a "Deweaponization Fund" of up to $1.8 billion to compensate individuals or groups claiming to have been improperly treated during government investigations. This arrangement has been criticized by some Democratic lawmakers as a "disguised transfer of benefits," and has also raised questions within the Republican Party.

Former IRS Commissioner pointed out that there has never been a precedent showing that the tax agency would permanently waive its right to review the historical filings of specific individuals or businesses, emphasizing that tax enforcement principles should remain consistent for all taxpayers. The Senate indicated that there are still many unresolved issues with this agreement, which is expected to continue to spark political controversy and regulatory discussions.