Trump's billion-dollar lawsuit: President takes tax leak to court

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Confidential tax data leaked—now it's going to get really expensive

Donald Trump and his family are seeking $10 billion in damages—from their own former administration. It sounds absurd, but it's reality: Trump, together with his sons Donald Jr. and Eric, has filed a lawsuit against the US Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The accusation: the authorities failed to adequately protect Trump's personal tax data. The information eventually ended up in the press – and made headlines around the world.

The lawsuit was filed in the state of Florida, where the former US president now resides. At its heart is a claim that is spectacular even by American standards: $10 billion in damages for alleged damage to his reputation, political damage, and economic losses.

Review: Tax returns under lock and key—and then made public

During his term in office, Donald Trump stubbornly refused to disclose his tax returns—unlike many of his predecessors. This made it all the more explosive when information about them nevertheless leaked to the media in the 2020 election year. At the time, it was reported that Trump had paid little or no income tax in certain years—grist to the mill for his critics in the middle of the election campaign.

Years later, it emerged that an employee of the tax authority had gained unauthorized access to Trump's data and passed it on. The man has already been convicted and is currently serving a prison sentence. But for Trump, the matter is not over yet.

Trump sees targeted campaign against him

The lawsuit accuses the state of being partly responsible for the data leak. The authorities are alleged to have violated their duty of protection. The whole thing was not an accident, but either deliberate or at least grossly negligent. Trump sees himself as the victim of a targeted political campaign—fueled by media outlets that have been critical of him for years.

The disclosure of his tax data publicly discredited him, damaged his reputation, and caused massive harm to his business activities. What is particularly bitter is that the lawsuit is directed against institutions that were subordinate to his own administration during Trump's term in office.

What we say about this

Those who live in the public eye must deal with public criticism—but no government agency should leave personal data unprotected. Trump's lawsuit is formidable, no question. Whether it will be successful in court remains to be seen. But one thing is certain: the case shows how narrow the line between the public interest in information and data protection has become. And that political opponents are not always outside the realm of politics.

Source: zeit.de