President Donald Trump's Department of Justice sparked outrage on Tuesday after reports that the agency is holding "internal discussions" about settling a massive lawsuit.
The New York Times reported that the DOJ is considering settling the $10 billion lawsuit that Trump filed against the Internal Revenue Service over the leak of his 2019 tax returns. Trump contended in the lawsuit that the IRS should have done more to prevent his returns from being publicized.
"Mr. Trump has long maintained that the federal government was weaponized against him by political opponents, and he has spent much of his second term seeking retribution against, and sometimes compensation from, those he holds responsible," the report reads in part. "But depending on its terms, a settlement with the I.R.S. could be among Mr. Trump’s most brazen efforts to bend the government to his personal will — an agenda often carried out through the Justice Department."
The lawsuit, filed in January, has raised questions about a conflict of interest because the IRS is an executive agency that Trump oversees.
Political analysts and observers reacted to the report on social media.
"This is a massive scam—much worse than the ballroom—and Dems should raise hell over it," Bharat Ramamurti, former deputy director of the White House National Economic Council, posted on X.
"Everything about this is such record-breaking corruption," Jonathan Cohn, political director for Progressive Mass, posted on X.
"Republicans are allowing Trump to raid the treasury because none of them care about corruption," Hemant Mehta, a former "Jeopardy!" champion, posted on X.
"I strongly disapprove of the US government giving Mr. Trump a big payback. Hold the leakers accountable. Give us the facts. Go public and let us see through the corruption. Why penalize hardworking [people]?" Donna Brazile, a political strategist, posted on X.