Donald Trump reacted Sunday morning to the New York Times reporting that it received a 1995 tax records for Trump that revealed a $916 million loss that could have allowed the businessman to avoid paying taxes for up to 18 years.
“I know our complex tax laws better than anyone who has ever run for president and am the only one who can fix them,” Trump tweeted, using the hashtag #failing@nytimes.
I know our complex tax laws better than anyone who has ever run for president and am the only one who can fix them. #failing@nytimes
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 2, 2016
Trump’s 1995 tax returns were mailed to the publication by an anonymous sender last month, according to the Times in a report published late Saturday evening. The newspaper said it hired tax experts to examine the tax returns, and had the documents’ legitamacy confirmed by a certified public accountant who prepared Trump’s taxes until 1996.
Trump’s campaign defended the Republican nominee in a statement Saturday evening that accused the Times of “illegally” obtaining the “alleged tax document” and said the publication is working with Hillary Clinton’s campaign.
“Mr. Trump is a highly-skilled businessman who has a fiduciary responsibility to his business, his family and his employees to pay no more tax than legally required,” the campaign said.
Clinton’s campaign also responded to the “bombshell report” and chided Trump for his “business failures.”
“There it is. This bombshell report reveals the colossal nature of Donald Trump’s past business failures and just how long he may have avoided paying any federal income taxes whatsoever,” said Clinton campaign manager Robby Mook in a statement.
Trump’s lawyer, Marc Kasowitz, emailed the Times, saying he would “prompt initiation of appropriate legal action” for the publication of the records.
The alleged reveal of Trump’s tax documents shines some light on the self-proclaimed billionaire’s financial situation, which has otherwise remained largely obfuscated.
Though Trump released a brief financial statement in May, he has maintained throughout the election that he has not released his tax returns because of routine audit.
