Senator Mark Kelly criticized President Donald Trump’s lawsuit against the federal government seeking $10 billion in damages over the leak of his tax returns, highlighting the unprecedented nature of the action and its implications for taxpayers.
“Donald Trump is suing the federal government for $10 billion. That is your money. Never in our history have we seen something like this,” Kelly said. “The billionaire President always has a new plan to make himself richer, but never a plan to make your bills more affordable.”
Donald Trump is suing the federal government for $10 billion. That is your money. Never in our history have we seen something like this. The billionaire President always has a new plan to make himself richer, but never a plan to make your bills more affordable.
— Captain Mark Kelly (@CaptMarkKelly) February 1, 2026
The Arizona Democrat’s remarks came in response to the civil complaint filed Thursday in federal court in Florida by Trump, along with his sons Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, as well as the Trump Organization. The suit names the Internal Revenue Service and the Treasury Department as defendants, alleging that the agencies failed to safeguard confidential tax information, which was unlawfully disclosed by former IRS contractor Charles Littlejohn.
Littlejohn, who worked for government contractor Booz Allen Hamilton, obtained and leaked Trump’s tax returns to outlets including The New York Times and ProPublica during Trump’s first term. He also disclosed information about thousands of other wealthy individuals. In 2024, Littlejohn received a five-year prison sentence for the unauthorized disclosures.
Trump’s legal team argued that the IRS bears responsibility because Littlejohn had staff-like access to sensitive records and exploited known security vulnerabilities that the agency had been warned about but failed to address. “The IRS wrongly allowed a rogue, politically-motivated employee to leak private and confidential information about President Trump, his family, and the Trump Organization to the New York Times, ProPublica and other left-wing news outlets, which was then illegally released to millions of people,” the statement from Trump’s lawyers said. “President Trump continues to hold those who wrong America and Americans accountable.”
The lawsuit claims the leak caused reputational harm, financial damage, public embarrassment, and other injuries to the plaintiffs. It seeks at least $10 billion in compensation under federal laws that permit claims for breaches of taxpayer privacy. This week, the Treasury Department, led by Secretary Scott Bessent, terminated $21 million in contracts with Booz Allen Hamilton, citing the company’s failure to implement adequate safeguards for sensitive data, including taxpayer information accessed through IRS contracts.
The suit stands out as the first time a sitting president has sued agencies under his own executive branch in such a manner, raising questions about potential conflicts of interest in how the government might respond. Other wealthy individuals affected by the same leak have not pursued similar monetary claims against the IRS.
Kelly’s statement underscores concerns about the use of taxpayer funds to resolve the claim, framing it as part of a broader pattern in which the president’s personal financial interests take precedence over broader public affordability concerns. The case proceeds amid ongoing scrutiny of executive actions and their intersection with personal legal matters.
