Members of the US House Ways and Means Committee disclosed that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) broke its own rules by failing to audit former President Donald Trump during his first two years in office.
In a new report issued on Tuesday night, the amount of income, deductions, and taxes paid by or reimbursed to former President Trump while in the White House were specified.
According to the article obtained by The Herald, Trump recorded having no income on his federal tax returns for the years 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2020. He also paid $1,500 in income taxes for the years 2016 and 2017.
According to the Joint Committee on Taxation’s staff report, Trump and his wife Melania claimed a $5.47 million refund on their 2020 income tax returns despite not paying any federal income taxes.
The study was made available online shortly after the Ways and Means Committee decided to release redacted versions of Trump’s complete 2015–2020 tax returns as well as those of eight linked business organizations.
The highlights of Trump and Melania’s combined tax filings during the two years he first ran for president and during his tenure in office are broken down in the 39-page study by the Joint Committee on Taxation staff.
The report cites other areas that the staff believed needed more investigation, such as proof of the approximately $506,000 in charitable gifts the Trumps claimed to have made in 2019.
The report’s highlights include:
- Trump and his wife reported $31.7 million in negative income on their 2015 federal tax return, with no taxable income. $641,931 in federal income taxes were paid by the couple.
- The 2016 tax return reported $31.2 million in negative income with no taxable income. The Trumps made a $750 tax payment.
- $12.8 million in negative income was reported on the 2017 tax return, and there was no taxable income. The couple paid taxes totaling $750.
- Total income of $24.4 million was reported on the 2018 tax return, of which $22.9 million was taxable income. The Trumps paid federal income taxes totaling $999,466.
- The Trumps reported $2.97 million in taxable income and a total income of $4.44 million in 2019. They paid taxes totaling $133,445.
- The 2020 tax return shows $4.69 million in negative income with no taxable income. The Trumps paid no tax and requested a refund of $5.47 million.
Committee’s votes
The committee voted to release six years’ worth of Trump’s tax returns.
The decision by the US Supreme Court last month ends a nearly four-year legal campaign by Democrats to access the documents.
Even though US presidents are not obligated by law to submit their tax returns, they have been doing so voluntarily for decades.
The former president has made a significant effort to conceal his tax records.
On Tuesday night, the US House Ways and Means Committee voted 24–16 to disclose the records, with all Democrats in favor and all Republicans against.
Brendan Boyle, a Democrat from Pennsylvania who served on the committee, said following the vote: “This is one of the most significant votes I will ever cast as a member of Congress, and I stand by it 100%.”
Despite a policy that mandates the auditing of sitting presidents, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) did not audit former President Donald J. Trump during his first two years in office, a House committee discovered on Tuesday after an unusual decision to release six years of his tax returns.
Twitter response – Trump tax returns
#Trumptaxreturns has been trending on Twitter, here are some of the response.
You know what's funny?…. The Trump tax returns are going to be the biggest nothingburger story of the year.
Yet the potential for the boomerang in precedent is replete with opportunity… pic.twitter.com/eXLo1hFdWs
— TheLastRefuge (@TheLastRefuge2) December 21, 2022
🍿 #TrumpTaxReturns 🍿 pic.twitter.com/RAZn2hR966
— JustTess 🇺🇸VOTE BLUE🇺🇸 (@tctess2) December 21, 2022
Trump is shady AF! #TrumpTaxReturns
— MazJobrani (@MazJobrani) December 21, 2022
Here comes #TrumpTaxReturns..The House Committee has approved they be released to the public. pic.twitter.com/7EmvnU54BC
— IT’S TIME FOR JUSTICE (@LiddleSavages) December 21, 2022
BREAKING NEWS! Here's a sneak peek of #TrumpTaxReturns pic.twitter.com/HY1ha1tw6V
— Coming in HOT!🔥😷 Phuck you Nole Ksum! (@JAPITTER) December 21, 2022
The President, VP, Senate, House, SCOTUS, all Federal judges, & all appointments should have mandatory audits, with all of their tax returns released.
If you have something to hide, you shouldn't be in office.
And ban trading stocks for them as well. #TrumpTaxReturns
— Jamie Carter (@JCTheResistance) December 21, 2022
To the MAGA freaking out about the release of Trump's taxes, how the hell did you think this fraud was going to "drain the swamp" while keeping secret? #TrumpTaxReturns
The central theme of the entire Trump era has been corruption. If you don't see that, he corrupted you too. pic.twitter.com/Gq3aZoAg5P
— Drew Emery (@InlawsOutlaws) December 21, 2022
To the MAGA freaking out about the release of Trump's taxes, how the hell did you think this fraud was going to "drain the swamp" while keeping secret? #TrumpTaxReturns
The central theme of the entire Trump era has been corruption. If you don't see that, he corrupted you too. pic.twitter.com/Gq3aZoAg5P
— Drew Emery (@InlawsOutlaws) December 21, 2022
9-28-16: Hillary calls out Trump for hiding taxes #TrumpTaxes #TrumpTaxReturns pic.twitter.com/scbYbdv5qB
— 🌻 Justice Matters ⚖🌟🇺🇸 (@ChrisJustice01) December 21, 2022
Incoming ketchup shit fit……#TrumpTaxReturns pic.twitter.com/PcesZjIx7s
— Coming in HOT!🔥😷 Phuck you Nole Ksum! (@JAPITTER) December 21, 2022
The people who are excited to see the #TrumpTaxReturns are the same people who ignored the #HunterBidensLaptop story.
— Andrew Wilkow (@WilkowMajority) December 21, 2022
Six years of Trump's tax returns are going to be made public. 🤣 #TrumpTaxReturns pic.twitter.com/ksHJljDXKg
— Kristen Wixx (@KristenWixx) December 21, 2022
Going forward, I'd like tax returns and other financial disclosures to be a mandatory part of running for public office.
If you're going to work for me, I want to know who is paying you more than I am.#TrumpTaxReturns
— Kelly in PA (@SteppingBackOut) December 21, 2022
Remember when Donald Trump’s longtime accounting firm, Mazars USA, cut ties with Trump and his family, saying financial statements they prepared for him from 2011 to 2020 should “no longer be relied upon?”
Now we’ll all know why. #TrumpTaxReturns
— Luke (@JDLuckenbach) December 21, 2022
You like me and looking forward to looking over the Trump tax returns?
After all these years we will finally get to see just how much of a fraud he is.
As if it wasn't already obvious.
— Dylan Ogline (@DylanOgline) December 21, 2022
I'm sure 6 years of #TrumpTaxReturns will confirm the world's greatest suspicion. Trump is a fucking asshole.
— Mr. Newberger (@jeremynewberger) December 21, 2022
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