WASHINGTON, April 24 -- A US district judge yesterday ordered a hearing on the whether a sitting president can sue the federal government, after Donald Trump launched a US$10 billion (RM39.6 billion) case against the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

Trump filed the lawsuit, along with his two eldest sons Eric and Donald Jr. and their family's Trump organisation, against the IRS in January, seeking US$10 billion over alleged leaked tax returns he claims harmed his business.

In a four-page filing, US District Court Judge Kathleen Williams ordered lawyers in the case to appear May 27 to address the issue.

While Trump states "that he is bringing this lawsuit in a personal capacity, he is the sitting president and his named adversaries are e...