Topline

An agreement signed on Tuesday expanded President Donald Trump’s controversial settlement with the IRS to include a clause that appears to bar the agency from investigating or prosecuting claims against the president, his family or his businesses.

The agreement was expanded in a short document signed by acting Attorney General Todd Blanche on Tuesday and posted on the Justice Department’s website.

The broad clause included at the end of the document says the government is “FOREVER BARRED and PRECLUDED” from investigating or prosecuting claims against Trump, as well as his trusts, family members and “related companies.”

The initial settlement agreement announced by the Justice Department did not include any financial reimbursement for the president, instead setting up a $1.8 billion fund to pay out alleged victims of what the Trump administration calls the “weaponization” of the Justice Department during the last administration.

However, Trump has frequently complained about being audited by the IRS in years past, and based on past reports could see a financial gain from the IRS dropping its audits.

Blanche testified before a Senate subcommittee about the extraordinary settlement agreement on Tuesday, but was not asked about the added clause.

Neither the Justice Department nor the IRS returned requests for comment from Forbes on Tuesday afternoon.