Todd Blanche killed a $100 million IRS audit on the Trump family Tuesday with a one-page memo.
Blanche, Trump’s former criminal defense attorney and now acting attorney general, settled the $10 billion lawsuit Trump filed against his own IRS Monday. The Trump family would receive “a formal apology but no monetary payment.” Tuesday’s memo revealed the actual payment: the IRS is “FOREVER BARRED” from auditing the Trump family or its businesses. Senators grilling Blanche that day hadn’t seen the memo.
Trump sued his own government for $10 billion. He walked away with permanent audit immunity for his past returns and a $1.8 billion fund he controls. Use 5 Calls or Resistbot to demand Congress reverse both before Trump’s allies line up for their cut.
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DOJ creates $1.776 billion fund to pay anyone "weaponized" by past administrations as Trump drops his $10 billion IRS suit.
Today’s GovBrief News
Greenland PM tells Trump envoy Landry the island is 'not for sale' as Louisiana governor offers MAGA hats to children who refuse them.
Source: ABC Australia
May 19, 2026
Trump says he was 'an hour away' from striking Iran Monday and tells reporters he doesn't have 'enough time' to keep explaining war.
Source: CBS News
May 19, 2026
Iowa Gov. Reynolds signs laws requiring in-person abortion pill prescriptions, parental consent for HPV vaccines, and shielding providers who deny care for religious or moral reasons.
Source: The Iowa Capital Dispatch
May 19, 2026
South Carolina House Republicans cap amendments at one per member after Democrats file 600, days before May 26 early voting in redrawn districts.
Source: WCSC Columbia SC
May 19, 2026
Pentagon inspector general opens self-initiated evaluation of SOUTHCOM boat attacks that killed 190+ people across nearly 60 vessels since September.
Source: CNN
May 19, 2026
DOJ sues Connecticut over law banning ICE masks and requiring agent ID, after Ninth Circuit struck down similar California rule on Supremacy Clause.
Source: The Connecticut Mirror
May 19, 2026
25 states and DC sue Education Department over OBBBA graduate loan caps taking effect July 1, citing rural healthcare workforce strain.
Source: The Hill
May 19, 2026
ICE arrests Honduran national at 26 Federal Plaza Tuesday, less than 24 hours after federal judge banned civil immigration arrests at New York City courts.
Source: WPIX New York
May 19, 2026
ICE tightens access to overcrowded Arizona holding facility on second surprise oversight visit, requiring 24-hour notice for congressional staff and barring Mesa councilmember.
Source: The Arizona Mirror
May 19, 2026
Trump orders banks to flag undocumented customers opening accounts or seeking loans, scaled back from mandatory citizenship collection after industry lobbying.
Source: The Associated Press
May 19, 2026
USDA inspector general finds agency uses AI for crop yields, supply chain risk, and permitting decisions without required cybersecurity controls or a generative AI policy.
Source: Government Executive
May 19, 2026
Cassidy flips and joins Collins, Murkowski, Paul to advance Senate Iran war powers resolution 50-47, three days after Trump declared his career "OVER."
Source: USA Today
May 19, 2026
Trump endorses 2020 election overturn leader Paxton over Sen. Cornyn in Texas Senate runoff mid-early-voting, escalating primary purge to GOP leadership.
Source: The Texas Tribune
May 19, 2026
Trump-recruited Navy SEAL Gallrein ousts 7-term Rep. Massie in Kentucky GOP primary after Massie led Epstein files release and opposed OBBBA.
Source: The Kentucky Lantern
May 19, 2026
CISA contractor at Nightwing publicly exposed AWS GovCloud admin credentials, plaintext passwords, and internal CISA system access on GitHub for six months.
Source: Krebs on Security
May 19, 2026
$1.8 billion Anti-Weaponization Fund addendum, signed by Trump's former defense lawyer Blanche, permanently shields already-filed Trump family tax returns from IRS audits.
Source: CNBC
May 19, 2026
Commodity Futures Trading Commission probes $800 million in suspicious oil futures trades placed minutes before Trump's March 23 social media post postponing Iran strikes.
Source: The Wall Street Journal [gift link]
May 19, 2026
Trump's Bedminster golf club manager, with no engineering training, advised Interior on Reflecting Pool repairs and recruited contractor that won $1.7M no-bid deal.
Source: The New York Times [gift link]
May 19, 2026
Trump's former HHS spokesman Caputo, named in Mueller report for brokering Russian-Stone meeting, files first $2.7 million Anti-Weaponization Fund claim.
Source: NOTUS
May 19, 2026
Colorado Supreme Court orders Children's Hospital to resume gender-affirming care for 800 minors after hospital cut access citing federal funding threats.
Source: KUSA Denver
May 19, 2026