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Trump bypasses Congress with IRS deal shielding family audits

Sunday, May 24, 2026 · from 4 podcasts, 6 episodes
Behind the BastardsThe DailyNo AgendaBreaking Points
  • Trump's IRS settlement creates a $1.776 billion fund to pay January 6 defendants and allies.
  • The deal permanently shields Trump, his family, and his businesses from IRS audits.
  • A federal judge nearly dismissed the lawsuit as a 'charade' before the administration settled.

The Trump administration engineered a legal settlement that effectively sues itself. According to multiple sources, President Trump dropped a $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS. In exchange, the Justice Department agreed to create a $1.776 billion 'Anti-Weaponization Fund' from the federal Judgment Fund, a pool reserved for legal settlements. The fund, overseen by five appointees chosen by Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche - Trump’s former personal lawyer - will compensate individuals deemed victims of government 'weaponization,' including nearly 1,600 people charged in the January 6 Capitol insurrection.

"This shifts the DOJ's role from law enforcement to a loyalty dispenser."

- Andy Duran, The Daily

The settlement’s more significant provision is private. As detailed by Andy Duran on The Daily, the IRS agreed to drop all current audits of Trump, his children, and the Trump Organization. Past audits threatened over $100 million in potential liabilities. This audit ceasefire delivers a direct financial benefit exceeding the value of the original lawsuit.

The deal circumvented a looming judicial rejection. A federal judge questioned whether a 'genuine controversy' existed when the plaintiff (Trump) and the defendant (the IRS) both reported to the same boss. Facing dismissal, the administration settled. Ryan Grim on Breaking Points noted the settlement also shields Trump’s family from future audits.

On Breaking Points, Krystal Ball and Saagar Enjeti framed the fund as a 'direct theft from the Treasury' and a reward for January 6 participants who already received pardons. The hosts argue it establishes a precedent for using the federal government as a 'personal piggy bank.' JD Vance defended the fund publicly, arguing it corrects wrongful prosecutions.

Internal dissent surfaced immediately. The top lawyer at the Treasury Department resigned hours after the fund’s creation, with reporting suggesting opposition to the arrangement. Even Senate Majority Leader John Thune signaled skepticism, stating the administration will face questions about its legitimacy.

The fund operates without congressional authorization. Similar compensation funds, like the 9/11 Victims Compensation Fund, are typically created by law. This structure allows the DOJ to distribute taxpayer dollars at its discretion, turning a law enforcement agency into a political disbursement mechanism.

#Corruption#Elections
DOJIRS

Source Intelligence

- Deep dive into what was said in the episodes

Behind the Bastards
Behind the Bastards

It Could Happen Here Weekly 233 • May 23

  • DOJ announced charges against four non-citizens for illegally voting in federal elections, a claim Kash Patel had previously predicted.
  • The four charged individuals in New Jersey were permanent residents who registered to vote and cast ballots before applying for naturalization via the N-400 form.
  • Charges varied among the four individuals, with only two facing 'voting by an alien' charges; others were charged with false statements or unlawful procurement of citizenship.
  • Garrison Davis argues voter fraud investigations are minimal and statistically insignificant for electoral outcomes, unlike gerrymandering or the electoral college.
  • Trump's DOJ has sued over thirty states for access to voter rolls to cross-reference with the DHS SAVE database, aiming to identify non-citizen voters.
  • James Stout notes the SAVE database is error-prone and combining it with voter rolls creates a disincentive for both immigrants and citizens to access benefits or register to vote.
  • In Arizona and Georgia, the FBI seized 2020 election records via subpoena and a raid, with a federal judge later allowing the government to keep materials despite an imperfect seizure.
  • James Stout and Garrison Davis argue the government's voter fraud crackdown aims to intimidate election officials and suppress voting, particularly within diaspora communities.
Also from this episode: (6)

Regulation (2)

  • The Bureau of Land Management revoked grazing permits for privately owned bison on seven allotments in Phillips County, Montana, citing a new 'productive purposes' standard.
  • James Stout explains the BLM's 'productive purposes' reinterpretation of the 1934 Taylor Grazing Act could threaten tribal buffalo herds and regenerative ranching, favoring maximum extraction.

Culture (1)

  • James Stout notes the BLM simultaneously rescinded its 'Conservation and Landscape Health Rule,' removing conservation as an equal component of public lands management.

Politics (2)

  • James Stout argues the government and capitalism jointly caused the buffalo genocide, reducing herds to under a thousand and devastating Indigenous cultures and prairie ecosystems.
  • James Stout highlights the Coalition of Large Tribes opposed the BLM decision, calling it a painful reprise of genocide and 'affirmative action for cattle.'

Science (1)

  • James Stout clarifies that bison are 'livestock' and can be managed for ecological restoration, but the new BLM standard may require them to be raised explicitly for sale.
#Corruption#Elections#Regulation#Macro
The Daily
The Daily

Trump’s National Support Is Cratering • May 22

  • President Trump dropped his $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS, and in exchange the Justice Department agreed to create a $1.776 billion fund to compensate alleged victims of government 'weaponization'.
  • IRS contractor Charles Littlejohn pleaded guilty to leaking tax information on Trump and thousands of wealthy individuals to the New York Times and ProPublica and was sentenced to prison in early 2024.
  • The $1.776 billion fund will be controlled by five people appointed by the Attorney General and drawn from the Judgment Fund, a pot used to settle legal claims against the U.S. government.
  • Potential recipients include nearly 1,600 rioters charged in the January 6 Capitol insurrection and other Trump supporters who claim they were improperly investigated under the Obama administration.
  • The fund's creation prompted bipartisan outrage, with Democrats calling it a political slush fund and Senate Majority Leader John Thune stating the administration will face many questions about its legitimacy.
  • While Trump and his family won't directly receive payments from the fund, the IRS agreed to drop any audits of Trump, his family members, and related business entities as part of the deal, potentially saving them over $100 million in owed taxes.
  • Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, who was previously Trump's personal lawyer, defended the fund to Congress, claiming it is not limited to Republicans, January 6 participants, or Biden-era investigations.
  • The top lawyer at the Treasury Department resigned hours after the fund's creation, with initial reporting indicating the resignation was partly due to opposition to the new fund.
  • Congressman Thomas Massie lost his Republican primary to Trump-endorsed challenger Ed Gallrein, capping a series of defeats for GOP lawmakers who broke with Trump in Indiana, Louisiana, and Kentucky.
Also from this episode: (1)

Politics (1)

  • The Senate agreed to take up a measure forcing President Trump to either end the war in Iran or seek Congressional approval to continue it, after a handful of Republicans joined Democrats.
#Corruption#Regulation

Trump’s Taxpayer-Funded Plan • May 20

  • The Trump administration is establishing a $1.776 billion taxpayer-funded Justice Department account to compensate self-described victims of government 'weaponization' and 'lawfare'.
  • President Trump dropped a $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS after a federal judge questioned its legitimacy due to his control over both the plaintiff and defendant sides of the case.
  • The fund's creation was linked to the leak of Trump's tax returns. IRS contractor Charles Littlejohn pleaded guilty in 2023 and was sentenced to prison in 2024 for leaking the information to the New York Times and ProPublica.
  • As part of the deal to drop his lawsuit, the IRS will drop any audits of Trump, his family, and his businesses, potentially allowing him to avoid tax bills that could exceed $100 million.
  • Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche claimed the fund is not limited to Republicans or January 6th defendants, but Democrats in Congress accused the administration of creating a 'political slush fund' for rewarding allies.
  • Even some Republicans, including Senate Majority Leader John Thune, expressed skepticism, indicating Congress may scrutinize the fund's legitimacy and the administration's need to answer questions about it.
  • The top lawyer at the Treasury Department resigned hours after the fund's creation, with initial reporting suggesting the move was linked to objections over the arrangement.
Also from this episode: (2)

Politics (2)

  • The fund's $1.776 billion figure is a symbolic reference to the year of the nation's founding. Its administrators will be five people appointed by the Attorney General, Todd Blanche.
  • Potential beneficiaries include the nearly 1,600 rioters charged in the January 6th Capitol insurrection, particularly those pardoned by Trump who claim they were improperly investigated for being his supporters.
#Corruption#Elections#Politics
No Agenda Show
No Agenda Show

Adam Curry

1870 - "VBS" • May 21

  • John C. Dvorak noted that the Justice Department's order barring IRS investigation of President Trump and his sons was reported as such, but the underlying issue was a "slush fund for Trump allies," suggesting a media reframe.
  • Kentucky Congressman Thomas Massie lost his primary by nearly 10 percentage points, with John C. Dvorak suggesting a "smear campaign" about an alleged affair and a "boner phone" as the primary cause, rather than solely Trump's opposition.
  • John C. Dvorak criticized mainstream media for ignoring the alleged Massie scandal, instead attributing his loss to his anti-Trump stances, while MSNBC commentary ironically highlighted Massie's traditional conservative record.
  • Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth campaigned for Ed Gowrin against Thomas Massie, an action criticized by MSNBC as potentially violating the Hatch Act, while the Pentagon stated Hegseth appeared as a private citizen.
  • Two teenagers, Cain Clark (17) and Caleb Vasquez (18), armed with 30 firearms, stormed the Islamic Center of San Diego, killing three people, with police reporting they were radicalized online and held anti-Islamic and anti-Semitic views.
  • The Justice Department indicted former Cuban dictator Raul Castro for his alleged role in the 1996 shootdown of "Brothers to the Rescue" civilian planes, resulting in four deaths, a move timed for Cuban Independence Day.
Also from this episode: (14)

Media (1)

  • Adam Curry and John C. Dvorak criticized David Muir's ABC news tease for its disjointed topic transitions and story repetition, contrasting it with what they considered NBC's more effective opening teases by Tom Yamas.

Politics (9)

  • Vice President J.D. Vance held a White House press briefing, an unusual role for a VP, where he expertly managed the press corps and delivered a less adversarial message than previous press secretaries.
  • J.D. Vance defended the Trump administration's economic record by citing manufacturing job rebounds and explained the Iran conflict as a short-term operation aimed at a negotiated settlement, not a "forever war."
  • Tucker Carlson stated he withdrew support for Donald Trump due to the Iran war, which he believes doesn't serve U.S. interests, and accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of pressuring Trump into the conflict.
  • Carlson controversially labeled Israel the "most violent country in the world," citing its public boasting of assassination programs, and criticized its government's actions in Gaza as "disgusting and immoral."
  • Former CIA operative Michael Waller connected the Castro indictment to completing the Bay of Pigs operation, while the U.S. Southern Command noted the Nimitz Strike Group's presence in the Caribbean, raising speculation of potential military action.
  • Axios reported Cuba acquired up to 300 military drones and discussed attacking Guantanamo Bay or the U.S. mainland if hostilities erupted, a claim that Adam Curry suggested could be part of a "false flag" pretext for U.S. intervention.
  • Online betting markets, Polymarket and Kalshi, facilitated hundreds of millions in "perfectly timed wagers" related to the Iran war, raising insider trading concerns, especially given Donald Trump Jr.'s advisory roles with both platforms.
  • U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Besson called on G7 allies to disrupt Iran's financing, with the "Economic Fury" program freezing nearly $500 million in cryptocurrency and targeting London-domiciled UK shipping companies on the OFAC list.
  • The U.S. delegation to Beijing employed strict anti-espionage protocols, discarding all Chinese-provided items into trash bins on Air Force One, due to documented Chinese tactics of embedding tracking and malware in common objects.

Business (4)

  • Texas Children's Hospital settled with Attorney General Ken Paxton for $10 million over alleged improper billing for transgender care, agreeing to revoke privileges for several doctors and establish a "detransition clinic."
  • John C. Dvorak theorized that Donald Trump's over 3,700 stock trades, frequently preceding his public endorsements of companies like Dell and Apple, indicated high-frequency trading run by an algorithm rather than direct insider trading.
  • The Trump Mobile T1 phone, marketed as an "American-made" patriotic alternative, was delayed, and its final version featured an American flag with only 11 stripes and appeared to be a Taiwanese-made Android device, rather than domestically produced.
  • A CNBC segment highlighted a societal misalignment where college degrees are highly valued despite a shortage of skilled trade workers like HVAC technicians, electricians, and fiber technicians, advocating for vocational training over traditional university paths.
#Elections#Media#Corruption#Middle East
Breaking Points with Krystal and Saagar
Breaking Points with Krystal and Saagar

5/20/26: Bibi Begs Trump For Iran War, JD Savaged Over Slush Fund, Massie Defeated, AIPAC Blown Out In PA • May 20

  • Iran agreed to a significant years-long pause in uranium enrichment, but Lindsey Graham and his allies slammed any potential deal that included sanctions relief.
  • Trump is reportedly demanding Congress fund a billion-dollar ballroom and security complex, holding up ICE and CBP funding as leverage.
  • Trump settled a lawsuit with the IRS to create a $1.776 billion 'Truth and Justice Fund' for compensating people wronged by federal prosecutions, including himself, his family, and January 6 participants.
  • Trump traded more stocks in Q1 2024 than all members of Congress combined for the entire year, often buying shares of companies he would publicly promote.
  • JD Vance dismissed the stock trading issue, arguing Trump uses wealth advisors and wants to ban congressional stock trading, but the timing of trades suggests coordination.
  • Thomas Massie lost his Kentucky primary after $30 million, largely from pro-Israel groups like AIPAC and donors Paul Singer and Miriam Adelson, was spent against him.
  • Chris Rabb defeated establishment candidates Sharif Street and Ala Stanford in a Philadelphia congressional primary, overcoming over $3 million in AIPAC-linked spending.
  • A new pro-Palestine PAC called American Priorities spent nearly $500,000 supporting Chris Rabb, while Working Families Party spent $500,000 attacking Sharif Street.
  • Ala Stanford's campaign imploded after she could not answer who should enforce immigration laws if ICE is abolished, stating enforcement 'belongs with Congress.'
Also from this episode: (4)

War (2)

  • Amid Siegel reports Netanyahu and Trump held a 'lengthy and dramatic' call where Netanyahu demanded striking Iran, believing a deal is impossible, while Trump sought more time for diplomacy.
  • Trump repeatedly shifts deadlines for action against Iran, suggesting he is politically aware that a hot conflict is disastrous and prefers procrastination.

Diplomacy (1)

  • Iran and the US exchanged proposals: Trump sent an 11-point plan; Iran added three points and demanded US military withdrawal from the Gulf, lifting oil restrictions, and Iranian control of Hormuz.

Politics (1)

  • JD Vance defended the fund, arguing it would correct wrongful prosecutions and be evaluated case-by-case, while Trump claimed it reimburses those 'horribly treated'.
#Corruption#War#Elections#Regulation

5/19/26: Trump $1.8 Billion Slush Fund For Allies, Students Boo AI At Graduation, Kars4Kids Scandal Erupts • May 19

  • Donald Trump dropped a lawsuit against the IRS, initiating a settlement that created an "Anti-Weaponization Fund" of taxpayer dollars. The fund aims to compensate individuals politically targeted for prosecution.
  • Krystal and Saagar contend that the fund is intended to benefit Donald Trump's allies, including January 6th participants and individuals prosecuted during previous administrations, raising concerns about direct government payouts without a clear process.
  • Saagar criticizes the administration for dropping fraud charges against Indian billionaire Gautam Adani, involving allegations of hundreds of millions in bribes to secure deals in India. US jurisdiction applied due to misleading US investors.
  • Krystal and Saagar argue that inconsistent application of fraud laws, pardoning wealthy individuals while prosecuting others, erodes public trust in the rule of law and the social safety net.
  • A California court banned Cars for Kids advertisements in the state after finding the charity violated false advertising laws. The lawsuit, filed in 2021, revealed donations did not go to underprivileged children in California as implied.
  • Testimony in the Cars for Kids case showed that out of $45 million raised annually, 60% went to Aura, a New Jersey-based Orthodox Jewish organization that funded adult matchmaking, teen trips to Israel, and summer camps, with 16.5 million used to buy a building in Israel.
  • Benjamin Netanyahu publicly stated that Israel controls "60% of the strip" in Gaza and implied further expansion, boasting about retrieving hostages without ceding territory and noting his corruption trial was again delayed for security reasons.
Also from this episode: (7)

Politics (2)

  • Saagar highlights the unusual nature of the Anti-Weaponization Fund, noting that similar compensation funds, like the 9/11 Victims Compensation Fund, are typically created by Congress, not through an executive settlement.
  • Saagar reports that at least 33 pardoned January 6th individuals faced other criminal charges, including DUI, felonies for threats, and child sex crimes, with some allegedly reoffending after receiving pardons.

Big Tech (1)

  • A federal court rejected Elon Musk's lawsuit against OpenAI on a technicality, stating the statute of limitations had run. Musk alleged OpenAI abandoned its original non-profit, open-source mission by becoming a for-profit entity.

Society (2)

  • Recent college graduates booed commencement speakers who discussed AI, reflecting widespread skepticism, especially among young people, about AI's impact on the job market and their future.
  • Polling shows 70% of Americans believe AI is developing too quickly, with over 50% holding negative views. Only 18% of young people express hope about AI, largely due to concerns about job displacement.

AI & Tech (1)

  • Ken Griffin, a top financier, noted that AI tools have profoundly increased productivity in the past nine months, automating work that previously took weeks or months for highly skilled professionals into hours or days.

War (1)

  • A report from Haaretz claimed ICC prosecutors were seeking arrest warrants for Israeli officials Ben Gvir and Smotrich for alleged war crimes, though the ICC disputed this report. Warrants were previously issued for Netanyahu and Gallant.
#Corruption#Agents#Macro

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