CULTURE

Trump’s Tax Returns Show That He Paid Only $750 in Federal Income Tax While Having Debt Over 400M

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For years President Trump has been adamant about keeping his tax information from the public, and now we may know why.

On Sunday, The New York Times released Trump’s federal income tax documents that spanned the last twenty years. The record shows what the President has been desperate to hide: his massive debts, losses from businesses, and lack of payments. The documents show how Trump corruptly used the financial system of our country to his benefit, including deducting millions to pay his family under the guise of consulting fees.

The NYT reports show that Trump only paid $750 in U.S. income taxes for 2016 and 2017. Trump did not pay any federal income taxes for ten years, claiming that he lost more than he earned. He is also currently being audited by the Internal Revenue Service for a $72.9 million tax refund that he received; the audit is often used as Trump’s excuse not to release his tax returns. Trump has close to $300 million in loans that he is responsible for, which are reportedly due in the next few years.

Trump immediately began trending on twitter, with people sharing theories and opinions. Some reactions mirrored the response of Nancy Pelosi, who called the report of Trump’s debt a national security issue and raised questions about who may have leverage over the President. People on Twitter began sharing how much more they paid in taxes. With the trend came the point that undocumented immigrants, a target group of the Presidents, pay more annually in taxes than the President.

The President has already taken to social media to discredit the reports, deny its contents, and call it fake news. Political leaders and citizens have shared their opinions on the record release and how this affects Trump’s re-election campaign. For now, all we can do stay informed about our elected officials and vote for what kind of leader we want for our country.