Trump says he's 'always' under audit and 'not inclined' to release tax returns


President Trump reacted on Wednesday evening to the House Ways and Means Committee formally requesting six years of his tax returns from the IRS, saying, "Usually it's 10, so I guess they're giving up."
He did not say anything about the IRS releasing his tax returns, instead declaring that he's "under audit, despite what people say. We're working that out. I'm always under audit, it seems." He surmises he's been "under audit for many years because the numbers are big and I guess when you have a name, you're audited." Trump added that until he's no longer under audit, he "would not be inclined" to released his tax returns.
Previous presidents and presidential candidates voluntarily released their tax returns, but Trump has not followed in this tradition, repeating since his campaign days that because he is under audit, he can't make them public. White House counselor Kellyanne Conway has argued that "people don't care" about his tax returns, and Trump has also said that because they are "extremely complex," the public "wouldn't understand them."
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.
During his congressional testimony in February, Trump's former personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, said he didn't know if Trump was under audit during the 2016 campaign. Cohen said Trump made statements suggesting he didn't want tax experts to start "ripping" his returns to pieces, resulting in an audit and "taxable consequences, penalties, and so on."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
5 dramatically dysfunctional cartoons about the government shutdown
Cartoons Artists take on life without government, foam finger pointing, and more
-
October 4 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Saturday's political cartoons include the Einstein files, defunding the police, and an odd tribute to Jane Goodall
-
Mustardy beans and hazelnuts recipe
The Week Recommends Nod to French classic offers zingy, fresh taste
-
Museum head ousted after Trump sword gift denial
Speed Read Todd Arrington, who led the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum, denied the Trump administration a sword from the collection as a gift for King Charles
-
Trump declares ‘armed conflict’ with drug cartels
speed read This provides a legal justification for recent lethal military strikes on three alleged drug trafficking boats
-
Supreme Court rules for Fed’s Cook in Trump feud
Speed Read Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook can remain in her role following Trump’s attempts to oust her
-
‘This isn’t just semantics’
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Miami Freedom Tower’s MAGA library squeeze
THE EXPLAINER Plans to place Donald Trump’s presidential library next to an iconic symbol of Florida’s Cuban immigrant community has South Florida divided
-
Judge rules Trump illegally targeted Gaza protesters
Speed Read The Trump administration’s push to arrest and deport international students for supporting Palestine is deemed illegal
-
Trump: US cities should be military ‘training grounds’
Speed Read In a hastily assembled summit, Trump said he wants the military to fight the ‘enemy within’ the US
-
US government shuts down amid health care standoff
Speed Read Democrats said they won’t vote for a deal that doesn’t renew Affordable Care Act health care subsidies