Donald Trump resolves legal dispute with niece over tax leak

The settlement brings a close to the 2021 complaint in which the former president accused his niece of orchestrating an insidious plot to leak confidential tax records to The New York Times. These documents served as the foundation for the newspaper’s 2018 investigative series on his finances. Trump had originally sought $100 million in damages, alleging that Mary Trump breached confidentiality agreements tied to the 2001 estate settlement of his father, Fred Trump Sr.

Legal momentum had shifted in May 2024 when a state appeals court acknowledged a substantial basis for the breach of contract claim, though it signaled that potential damages might be limited to nominal amounts. The resolution follows a series of related legal failures for the former president, including a 2023 ruling that saw him ordered to pay nearly $400,000 in legal fees to The New York Times and its reporters after his claims against the publication were dismissed. Both sides now expect to seek a formal dismissal with prejudice, effectively barring any future litigation regarding the matter.