Trump Appeals Ruling on IRS Audit Immunity Settlement

President Donald Trump filed a notice of appeal in a Miami federal court on Friday to challenge a July ruling by U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams. Judge Williams had previously barred Trump from using an audit-immunity settlement stemming from a $10 billion lawsuit he filed in January against the Internal Revenue Service and the U.S. Treasury over a 2019 tax information leak. The judge characterized the lawsuit as a bad faith attempt to manipulate the court and stated the settlement had no viable basis in law or fact because Trump exercised improper control over the parties involved.

The legal dispute had stalled the confirmation of Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, as Republican lawmakers sought to narrow the audit-immunity provisions. On Sunday, Blanche reached an agreement with Senators John Cornyn and Thom Tillis to advance his nomination. As part of the deal, Blanche issued an order confirming that no $1.8 billion compensation fund for Trump allies exists and that no claims have been paid.

The agreement further clarifies that tax audit immunity for Trump and his family applies only to claims open at the time of the settlement and does not extend to future filings. While the Senate Judiciary Committee is expected to vote on Tuesday to advance Blanche's nomination, Democrats argue the order fails to permanently prevent the administration from reviving the compensation fund.