Trump Fails to Deny Tax Fraud Allegations in New York Times Investigation

Instead, he attacked the report as “very boring.”

Ting Shen/ZUMA

Get your news from a source that’s not owned and controlled by oligarchs. Sign up for the free Mother Jones Daily.

On Tuesday, the New York Times published a sweeping investigation into the source of President Donald Trump’s wealth that shattered his claims of being a self-made billionaire who had received little financial help from his family. Along with evidence of “outright fraud” by Trump, the massive expose found that a complex system of dubious tax-schemes helped the president reap at least $413 million from his real-estate mogul father.

Trump is notably not denying the report, either. Instead, in his first response to the damning piece, he appeared to take issue with the exact math behind the Times‘ numbers and the concept of inflation. Trump did not refute the investigation’s serious allegations that he participated in tax-dodging schemes to significantly increase his inheritance and that of his siblings.

He also dismissed it as a “very old, boring” story.

Trump’s reaction on Wednesday is a significant departure from the statement his lawyer provided to the Times that called the report “highly defamatory.” Similarly to the president, the White House on Tuesday also did not directly deny the report. Instead, it claimed that the IRS had approved such transactions. Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders went on to accuse the paper of ignoring the president’s economic successes for the sake of attacking him. 

Shortly after the piece was published, the New York State Department of Tax and Finance said that it was reviewing the allegations.

BEFORE YOU CLICK AWAY!

“Lying.” “Disgusting.” “Scum.” “Slime.” “Corrupt.” “Enemy of the people.” Donald Trump has always made clear what he thinks of journalists. And it’s plain now that his administration intends to do everything it can to stop journalists from reporting things they don’t like—which is most things that are true.

No one gets to tell Mother Jones what to publish or not publish, because no one owns our fiercely independent newsroom. But that also means we need to directly raise the resources it takes to keep our journalism alive. There’s only one way for that to happen, and it’s readers like you stepping up. Please help with a donation today if you can—even a few bucks will make a real difference. A monthly gift would be incredible.

payment methods

BEFORE YOU CLICK AWAY!

“Lying.” “Disgusting.” “Scum.” “Slime.” “Corrupt.” “Enemy of the people.” Donald Trump has always made clear what he thinks of journalists. And it’s plain now that his administration intends to do everything it can to stop journalists from reporting things they don’t like—which is most things that are true.

No one gets to tell Mother Jones what to publish or not publish, because no one owns our fiercely independent newsroom. But that also means we need to directly raise the resources it takes to keep our journalism alive. There’s only one way for that to happen, and it’s readers like you stepping up. Please help with a donation today if you can—even a few bucks will make a real difference. A monthly gift would be incredible.

payment methods

We Recommend

Latest

Sign up for our free newsletter

Subscribe to the Mother Jones Daily to have our top stories delivered directly to your inbox.

Get our award-winning magazine

Save big on a full year of investigations, ideas, and insights.

Subscribe

Support our journalism

Help Mother Jones' reporters dig deep with a tax-deductible donation.

Donate