A U.S.federal judge has ordered President Donald Trump to respond to serious allegations that a recent settlement with the Internal Revenue Service may have involved fraud on the court.The order was issued by U.S.

District Judge Kathleen Williams, who gave Trump’s legal team a deadline of June 12 to address concerns raised by a group of 35 former federal judges.

The judges are seeking to reopen proceedings to examine whether the court was misled when it approved the resolution of Trump’s lawsuit against the IRS.The original case stemmed from Trump’s legal action over a past leak of his tax information.The case was closed after his legal team withdrew claims against the IRS.However, the settlement arrangement has since come under scrutiny.Under the agreement announced by the U.S.Department of Justice, a US$1.776 billion fund was to be created to compensate individuals described as victims of government “weaponization.” Critics have labelled the fund a politically motivated “slush fund,” while supporters argue it addresses alleged government overreach.The settlement also reportedly includes restrictions preventing investigations into Trump’s past tax returns.Judge Williams has asked whether the parties were truly adversarial and whether the court was misled into dismissing the case.She also referenced concerns about possible collusion and whether her earlier decision was based on incomplete or deceptive information.Meanwhile, a separate federal judge in Virginia has temporarily blocked the fund while reviewing its legality.

The arrangement has sparked political controversy, with some Republican senators expressing concern and reports suggesting internal discussions about revising or abandoning the deal amid backlash.

The Justice Department has not publicly commented on the judge’s latest order, while Trump’s legal representatives maintain that the settlement was justified and aimed at addressing alleged mistreatment of “America First Patriots.”