President Donald Trump on Wednesday claimed that at least one of his lawsuits against the U.S. government was “essentially” over ― and he won.
NBC’s Tom Llamas asked Trump about the $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS and Treasury Department that he filed last week.
“You can’t leak documents. And any money that I win, I’ll give it to charity, 100% to charities, charities that will be approved by government or whatever,” Trump said.
Trump filed the suit because a former IRS contractor leaked his tax returns to The New York Times and ProPublica during his first term, violating IRS confidentiality rules. Those returns showed that Trump, a billionaire with a massive real estate portfolio and other ventures, paid little to no federal income tax in a number of years.
Trump also spoke about another lawsuit he filed demanding $230 million from taxpayers for, among other things, the FBI’s search of his Mar-a-Lago home in 2022, where agents found classified documents.
“Essentially, the lawsuit’s been won,” Trump told Llamas. “I guess I won a lot of money.”
It’s not clear which lawsuit, specifically, he was referring to. However, both of them were against executive branch agencies, which he leads ― and he’s already said that means he can “work out a settlement with myself.”
Trump told Llamas that he would give the money he “won” in his lawsuit to charities such as the American Cancer Society, but the president’s critics don’t find that promise to be reassuring, given his history with nonprofits.
In 2018, the Trump Foundation shut down under judicial supervision amid allegations of self-dealing. He was later ordered to pay $2 million to settle a civil lawsuit brought by the state of New York against the charity.
Former New York Attorney General Barbara Underwood said the charity had engaged in a “shocking pattern” of “repeated and willful self-dealing.” One example: buying a $10,000 portrait of Trump to hang at one of his golf courses.
The president’s critics responded on X:
Stealing taxpayer money to gift to causes of his choosing.
— Molly Ploofkins (@Mollyploofkins) February 5, 2026
Trump is stealing $10 billion from taxpayers.
He’s inventing a lawsuit against his own administration for an absurd amount of money, then having them settle with him.
If you don’t understand this is a scam, then you’re not paying attention. https://t.co/rTfsuYfEpv
— Melanie D’Arrigo (@DarrigoMelanie) February 5, 2026
0% chance that Trump is giving ANY $$ to charity.
It’s a lie like all his other lies
He stole $10 billion US under a bogus lawsuit premise and is keeping it all
He doesn’t give to charities (his leaked taxes show this)
He’s not a Christian, a do gooder or a philanthropist https://t.co/Ytp26V1768— West LA Résistance 🌊🇺🇸⚖️🗽 (@45bestwords) February 5, 2026
Let’s be clear about what this is: Trump is essentially planning to take $10 Billion from the American taxpayer and funnel it to himself.
Remember the Trump Foundation? His track record of making good on his promise to charities isn’t good. https://t.co/0c4zee8v34
— Ahmed Baba (@AhmedBaba_) February 5, 2026
Has it been “won” ? Who decided this case? Has Trump taken $10B ?? Which “charities” is he planning to donate it to? https://t.co/P6Kr8gHnyV
— David Clinch (@DavidClinchNews) February 5, 2026
No. The $10 billion isn’t “for charity.” It’s for Trump. He is stealing taxpayer money, smirking through it, and daring anyone to stop him. 😈 https://t.co/RA9HoBBD73
— Bucky (@BuckyNoseBest) February 5, 2026
Never forget when Donald Trump sued the government for $10 billion and then brokered his own settlement to himself. https://t.co/eLBtWkJO9a
— Andrew MacKenzie (@andrewmackenzie) February 5, 2026