The US will investigate the circumstances in which two ex-FBI heads, both Trump critics, were subject to intensive tax audits.
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS), to the Department of the Treasury, requested that James Comey's and Andrew McCabe's cases be checked.
New York Times first reported the news that both men had been selected for an unusual type of audit.
The audit will be conducted at random.
The odds of a person being selected by the IRS for its National Research Program in 2017 were estimated by The Times at one in 30,000.
Trump has not yet commented on the matter.
The IRS stated in a statement that "The IRS has referred this matter to the Treasury Inspector General of Tax Administration for review."
The IRS stated that the IRS had made this statement after a "press inquiry".
According to IRS letters, Comey was informed that his 2017 return had been subject to a random audit. McCabe was also told the same thing about his 2019 return.
CNN was informed Thursday by McCabe that referring the matter "to the IG [Inspector General]" is the correct step. Let's wait and see if they move on it.
Comey has not made any public comments, but said to the Times that he believed it was a coincidence. He also suggested that someone may have misused the IRS in order to target a political foe. We should have the answer to this question, given Trump's desire to continue playing a role in the country.
In 2017, Trump fired Comey as FBI agents investigated alleged Russian connections between Trump's campaign and Russia. His dismissal sparked uproar.
In 2018, Mr McCabe, Mr Comey's successor was fired.
