Trump already has a Treasury team tasked with hiding his tax records from Democrats


Democrats have held the House for less than a month, but President Trump has been preparing for their arrival far longer.
Specifically, the president is worried about a long-held Democratic talking point: that Trump should release his tax returns. And once they eventually, inevitably ask the IRS for those records, Trump has a "two-pronged scheme" to fight back, Politico reports.
If the IRS privately gives House Democrats Trump's past tax records, they'll definitely leak them, committing a felony, a league of Treasury Department loyalists reportedly plan to argue. "So because Democrats can't be trusted to keep the documents private, they shouldn't get them in the first place," Politico writes of the first step in the Trump team's strategy.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Beyond that "nakedly partisan exercise," Trump's Treasury team also intends to subject the Democrats' request to "a quagmire of arcane legal arguments," Politico writes. There's no precedent for a Treasury Secretary blatantly refusing to hand over IRS files, so there's reportedly a chance Steven Mnuchin will do just that. The legal fight that ensues could continue "well into the 2020 campaign," Politico details.
The Treasury Department would only say "Mnuchin will review any request with the treasury general counsel for legality." The White House did not respond to a request for comment on the reported scheme, which you can read more about at Politico.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Kathryn is a graduate of Syracuse University, with degrees in magazine journalism and information technology, along with hours to earn another degree after working at SU's independent paper The Daily Orange. She's currently recovering from a horse addiction while living in New York City, and likes to share her extremely dry sense of humor on Twitter.
-
Anshu Ahuja's golden coconut and butter bean curry recipe
The Week Recommends Plump, creamy beans in a sweet, spicy sauce
-
The treasure trove of platinum on the moon
Under the radar This kind of bounty could lead to commercial exploitation
-
Sudoku medium: June 23, 2025
The Week's daily medium sudoku puzzle
-
Trump's LA deployment in limbo after court rulings
Speed Read Judge Breyer ruled that Trump's National Guard deployment to Los Angeles was an 'illegal' overreach. But a federal appellate court halted the ruling.
-
Marines, National Guard in LA can detain Americans
speed read The troops have been authorized to detain anyone who interferes with immigration raids
-
Trump vows 'very big force' against parade protesters
Speed Read The parade, which will shut down much of the capital, will celebrate the US Army's 250th anniversary and Trump's 79th birthday
-
Smithsonian asserts its autonomy from Trump
speed read The DC institution defied Trump's firing of National Portrait Gallery Director Kim Sajet
-
Trump sends Marines to LA, backs Newsom arrest
speed read California Gov. Gavin Newsom is filing lawsuits in response to Trump's escalation of the federal response to ICE protests
-
Trump foists National Guard on unwilling California
speed read Protests erupted over ICE immigration raids in LA county
-
Supreme Court lowers bar in discrimination cases
speed read The court ruled in favor of a white woman who claimed she lost two deserved promotions to gay employees
-
Trump-Musk relationship implodes in taunts, threats
speed read Musk said Trump's multitrillion bill would cause a recession and accused the president of involvement with Jeffrey Epstein