‘I don’t think anybody cares’
After initially suggesting he would release his tax returns, Donald Trump has argued that he can’t do so while being audited, and referred people to his financial disclosure report. NBC News,
Jan. 24: “Well, we’re working on that (releasing tax returns) now. I have very big returns, as you know, and I have everything all approved and very beautiful and we’ll be working on that over the next period of time. … I mean this is not like a normal tax return, this is a big tax return. ... I try and pay as little tax as possible because I hate what they do with my tax money.” Republican debate,
Feb. 25: “I was the first one to file a financial disclosure form — almost 100 pages. You don’t learn anything about somebody’s wealth with a tax return. You learn it from statements I filed — which shows that I’m worth over $10 billion. I built a great company with very little debt. ... As far as my return, I want to file it, except for many years, I’ve been audited every year.” CNN,
Feb. 26: “I’m always audited by the IRS, which I think is very unfair — I don’t know maybe because of religion, maybe because of something else. Maybe because I’m doing this (running for president). Maybe because of the fact that I’m a strong Christian and I feel strongly about it, and maybe there’s a bias.”
The Associated Press, May 11: “There’s nothing to learn from them.”
ABC News, May 13: “It’s none of your business. You’ll see it when I release.”
Fox News, July 28: “I remember with Mitt Romney four years ago, everybody wanted his (tax return), and his is a peanut compared to mine. It’s like a peanut. It’s very small. Not nearly as big a document. I mean, mine, you saw the picture where it’s 2 or 3 feet high.”
ABC News, Sept. 5: “I think people don’t care (about my taxes). I released the most extensive financial review of anybody in the history of politics. ... I’ve been audited, I think, for 15 straight years. When the audit is done, I’ll release them. I don’t know when that’s gonna be, it could be soon, it could be not. ... And that’s it. I don’t think anybody cares, except some members of the press. I really don’t.”