What will the crook in the White House do next?

Audit Immunity for Trump Family Puts I.R.S. in a Bind.

Federal law prohibits the Internal Revenue Service from halting an audit at the direction of the president or his aides.

President Trump’s return to office has been an unforgiving crucible for the hidebound Internal Revenue Service. He and his aides have decimated its ranks, fired and replaced its leaders and made repeated attempts to enlist the agency in his quest for political retribution.

Now, as part of an arrangement drawn up this week by Todd Blanche, the acting attorney general, the I.R.S. faces its most profound legal and ethical test yet: a demand to drop any audits of Mr. Trump, his family members or their “affiliates.”

Tax lawyers and former I.R.S. officials said such expansive protection would cut to the core of the agency’s mission to collect taxes in a disinterested, nonpartisan way — and could potentially run afoul of the laws governing how it does so.

“It’s just completely contrary to the notion that you’re supposed to comply with the law and the I.R.S. is there to make sure you do that,” said George Yin, a tax law professor and former chief of staff at the congressional Joint Committee on Taxation. “The idea that you can get a free pass from the I.R.S. or anyone can get a free pass from the I.R.S. is just completely ridiculous.”

Immunity from I.R.S. scrutiny for Mr. Trump and his family was part of a broad agreement made by the Justice Department to resolve a lawsuit he filed against the I.R.S. over the leak of his tax returns. Beyond the audit provision, the Justice Department committed to creating a $1.8 billion fund to pay victims of “weaponization,” a proposal that has been rebuked by both Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill.

While the Justice Department has said Mr. Trump himself will not be paid out of that fund, an end to any and all audits based on tax returns previously filed could be quite lucrative for the Trumps. The New York Times reported in 2024 that an adverse ruling in an I.R.S. audit could cost Mr. Trump more than $100 million, though it is unclear if that examination is still underway.

The nine-page outline creating the $1.776 billion “anti-weaponization” fund was agreed to and signed on Monday by Frank Bisignano, who leads the I.R.S. as its chief executive officer. The one-page addendum calling for the I.R.S. to drop any audits of Mr. Trump and his family members was released the next day and signed by only Mr. Blanche.

That has raised the question of how, and if, the leader of the Justice Department can control decisions made at the I.R.S., which falls under the Treasury Department.

“There’s a genuine question as to whether the attorney general can do this,” said Daniel Hemel, a tax law professor at New York University. “I can’t think of precedent where the attorney general signs a piece of paper that ends audits for a large number of people.”

Representatives for the I.R.S. and Treasury Department did not respond to questions about whether they would carry out Mr. Blanche’s order.

The I.R.S. has historically made a point of not giving the president special treatment. Its internal procedures call for the mandatory audit of the president’s annual tax returns. And, unlike the Justice Department, the I.R.S. is subject to a federal law that bars the president, vice president or their aides from influencing or directing its investigations. I.R.S. agents can face prison time if they carry out a politically motivated audit or halt one at the direction of the White House.

The prohibition includes an apparent carve-out for the attorney general, but I.R.S. officials may still be wary of heeding Mr. Blanche’s order if they wonder whether White House officials or other Trump aides were involved in crafting it. A future Justice Department led by a Democrat could well investigate a halt to audits of Mr. Trump.

That will only add to the challenge of translating Mr. Blanche’s one-page order into a change in approach at the I.R.S. For it to take effect, I.R.S. officials would probably have to provide a more detailed command to stop anyone auditing Mr. Trump, his family members or other entities potentially covered by Mr. Blanche’s order from doing so.

“I think it’s going to be challenging,” said Tim Bilotta, a former I.R.S. executive who previously oversaw audits of small businesses in the Southwestern United States. “The agents and the managers are not going to want to be perceived as breaking a law,” so to provide cover for themselves “they are going to ask the higher-ups to provide them with written instruction on what they want done.”

Mr. Bilotta said he expected that I.R.S. agents in particular would want more detail on Mr. Blanche’s order that the audit protection apply to Mr. Trump “or related or affiliated individuals” and their entities. Such a protection is likely to apply to Mr. Trump’s children and the businesses they run, but it is less clear if it would apply to, for example, Jared Kushner, the president’s son-in-law, and the firms he has invested in.

“If I were the executive overseeing the audit, I would ask: When you say related parties, who are you talking about?” Mr. Bilotta said. “When you say family members, are you talking sons and daughters? Are we talking cousins, aunts and uncles? Are we talking second cousins? Who are we talking about?”

It is unclear who at the I.R.S. might provide that detail and how. The agency is without a confirmed chief counsel, the agency’s top legal position, after Mr. Trump suddenly pulled the nominee for the job last year.

Ken Kies, a Treasury official acting as the top I.R.S. lawyer, previously represented Mr. Trump in his tax controversies, according to his financial disclosure. As a result, he has recused himself from all issues relating to Mr. Trump’s taxes, according to three people familiar with the matter.

The top lawyer at the Treasury Department, Brian Morrissey, resigned on Monday over his concerns about the resolution to Mr. Trump’s lawsuit against the I.R.S., three people familiar with his thinking said. Mr. Morrissey has not responded to requests for comment, and it is unclear if the audit protections, signed by Mr. Blanche the day after Mr. Morrissey left the government, specifically prompted him to resign.

But during his confirmation hearing to be Treasury’s general counsel last year, Mr. Morrissey said he was aware of the statute preventing the president from directing I.R.S. audits.

“It’s imperative that the only considerations that the I.R.S. is considering are the facts and the evidence with respect to that taxpayer and not any political considerations,” Mr. Morrissey said last June. (New York Times)

There is no bottom.

This is a video. Trump posted it. Watch it. Curse.

One more thing. Or two.

Thursday was the last night on CBS for Stephen Colbert.
Brilliant. A love fest. The ratings are in, and it’s official: The Late Show With Stephen Colbert went out with a bang.

On Trump’s Slush Fund, more lawsuits are being filed.

Friday was Day One at the Delacourte.

Free Shakespeare in the Park returns to the Delacorte Theater tonight with 'Romeo & Juliet'

The 2026 Shakespeare in the Park season officially kicks off at Central Park's newly revitalized Delacorte Theater.

With the arrival of Memorial Day weekend, summer in New York City has basically arrived, and with it comes one of the city’s most beloved cultural traditions: Free Shakespeare in the Park.

Tonight marks a historic milestone for New York theater lovers. Following a multi-year, $85 million construction project that sent the festival on the road in 2024 and operated on a temporary setup in 2025, the fully revitalized Delacorte Theater in Central Park officially reopens its gates tonight, May 22, 2026.

To kick off this highly anticipated 63rd season, The Public Theater is bringing a landmark production of Romeo & Juliet to the brand-new stage, marking the first time in 19 years that Shakespeare’s legendary star-crossed lovers have performed at The Delacorte.

Artistic Director Oskar Eustis stated:

For the first time in 19 years, Saheem Ali brings Shakespeare’s beloved romance Romeo and Juliet back to The Delacorte. The most famous love story of all time makes a powerful case that love can heal even the most divided communities. And Dan Sullivan returns with Shakespeare’s late masterpiece of faith and resurrection, The Winter’s Tale.

Whether you’re planning to queue up for tonight’s historic opening performance or mapping out your summer calendar, here’s your definitive guide to everything happening at Central Park’s newest stage this season.

Free Shakespeare in the Park Summer 2026 Lineup
The newly updated, fully accessible open-air amphitheater will host two major Shakespearean revivals, a massive community musical, and the return of a beloved discussion series.

🎭 Romeo & Juliet (May 22 – June 28)

Directed by Saheem Ali (The Public’s Associate Artistic Director), this bold new staging introduces a unique bilingual twist: while the overarching production unfolds in English, Romeo and Juliet speak directly to one another in Spanish–a language reserved strictly for their private, shared world.

The production stars Ra’Mya Latiah Aikens as Juliet and Daniel Bravo Hernández as Romeo, alongside stage legends LaChanze and Deirdre O’Connell.

🎭 The Winter’s Tale (July 25 – August 23)
Tony Award-winning director Daniel Sullivan returns to the park to direct Shakespeare’s late masterpiece. Blending psychological drama, mystery, and eventual redemption, this sweeping tale follows a royal family torn apart by jealousy and miraculously reunited sixteen years later.

Additional Summer 2026 Delacorte Theater Happenings
The new venue isn’t just for evening plays! Other happenings include:

🎉 Summer Kickoff Celebration (May 30 | 12 pm – 5 pm)
To officially celebrate the grand reopening of the venue, The Public is hosting a free community open house. Expect:

Behind-the-scenes tours of the new facility
Exclusive giveaways
Concessions
Special guest appearances (including a meet-and-greet with Romeo the Raccoon)
🎶 Public Works: Public Record (September 4 – September 8)
To bookend the summer, The Public’s massive civic program brings over 100 everyday New Yorkers, musicians, and dancers onto the stage alongside professional actors.

Written by Lisa Sanaye Dring and directed by Emily Lim, this electrifying production will feature a live musical album recorded on stage in real-time, which will be permanently preserved by the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.

🧺 Public Forum Mondays & Summer Friday Picnics
This year also features expanded community programming:

Public Forum Mondays: Select Monday evenings will feature the revival of this popular series, blending live performances with cultural conversations under the stars
Summer Fridays: On select Fridays (including June 5 & 19), The Delacorte will host afternoon Open Houses (12 pm – 4 pm) featuring onstage photo-ops, followed by evening community picnics (6 pm – 8 pm) complete with live music.

Quick Facts: Planning Your Visit
The Venue: The Revitalized Delacorte Theater (Central Park, closest entrance at West 81st Street and Central Park West)
Showtimes: Performances typically begin at 8 pm

Cost: Every single seat is completely free
How to Get Tickets
While tickets remain entirely free, you must secure a physical ticket or digital voucher for entry to all Delacorte events.

Day-of tickets are distributed daily through a mix of options, including the classic In-Person Park Line (which begins forming at 6 am at West 81st Street), the TodayTix Digital Lottery (open daily from 12:01 am to noon), and the final evening Standby Line.

Find more info on securing tickets here.

See you at the new Delacorte! ✨

Enjoy the 3 day weekend.

Think of the men and women who lost their lives in Wars. When will we learn how to settle our disagreements without violence!

See you on Tuesday!