Former US President Donald Trump is seeking a 90‑day pause in his lawsuit over the leak of his tax returns, arguing that a temporary halt would allow both sides to explore a potential settlement. In a court filing submitted on Friday, Trump’s legal team said the pause would not delay the case but instead help “promote judicial economy” and create space for meaningful negotiations.
The filing emphasises that neither party would be harmed by the delay, framing settlement discussions as the most efficient way to narrow or resolve the dispute. The case dates back to 2017, when Charles “Chaz” Littlejohn, a contractor working through Booz Allen, stole Trump’s confidential IRS files. The tax returns were later leaked to major media outlets, including The New York Times and ProPublica, which published reports showing Trump paid no income tax in 10 of the previous 15 years and only small amounts in others due to reported business losses.
Trump filed the lawsuit in January, claiming that he, his businesses, and his sons Eric and Donald Jr. suffered “significant and irreparable harm” from the leak. The suit names the IRS and the Treasury Department as defendants, accusing them of failing to protect his private financial information. According to the complaint, the leaks caused reputational damage, financial loss, and public embarrassment, while portraying Trump and his companies “in a false light.”
With Trump now pushing for a 90‑day pause, the next phase of the legal battle may hinge on whether the court agrees that settlement talks could streamline or even resolve the long‑running dispute.
+ There are no comments
Add yours