Megyn Kelly is not impressed by this Trump adviser's explanation on Trump's tax returns

Megyn Kelly grills Trump senior adviser over tax returns

(Image credit: Fox News/YouTube)

last updated 4 October 2016

On Monday's Kelly File, Megyn Kelly invited on Boris Epshteyn, a senior Trump campaign adviser and GOP strategist, and liberal syndicated radio host Richard Fowler to discuss the revelations in The New York Times that Donald Trump declared a $916 million loss on his 1995 personal tax returns and could have used that loss to avoid paying federal income tax for 18 years, an allegation Trump has not denied.

"Let's just skip over the discussion about whether this was legal," Kelly said, "because it's perfectly legal what Trump did, and I don't know anybody who wants to pay more in taxes than they owe, I mean just because they feel it would be the morally right thing to do — show me that person, love to meet him." Instead, she asked Epshteyn about Clinton's line of attack: "a) what kind of a brilliant businessman loses $900+ million in a year, and b) what about all the small contractors and stockholders who got completely screwed the year he lost all that money, and he took advantage of it for years thereafter by not paying any taxes but they were left, they were hung out to dry?"

Epshteyn noted that GM lost $16 billion in 2009, and Kelly interjected, "Okay, but GM isn't running for president as a brilliant businessman." He continued that Trump followed the law, and wanted to continue in business so he could continue hiring people. "You're not answering any of my points," Kelly said. "He may have ended up okay, but he screwed the little guy, the contractors and so on who didn't get paid, and the stockholders who got paid out pennies on the dollar." "He didn't screw anybody," Epshteyn said. "First of all, it's accepted knowledge Mr. Trump made a fortune twice." "Did he give it back to those people who got screwed?" Kelly asked. You can watch the exchange, including where Epshteyn and Fowler actually agree, below. Peter Weber

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.