Donald Trump's Taxes Leaked

News | Trending

Donald Trump's Taxes Leaked

President Donald Trump's taxes have made news headlines for the better part of a year now. We have all wondered whether the wealthy businessman paid his fair share of taxes before he became President of the United States.

The Rachel Maddow Show revealed an exclusive look at Donald Trump's 2005 1040 federal tax form, which proves what he made and paid that year.

Here are the basics:

He paid over $38 million in taxes:

He took a big write down of $103 million:

MSNBC

In that year he made over $150 million dollars:

MSNBC

To verify that these documents were in fact real, reporters sent the document over to the White House. This was their statement addressing the tax returns.

"Before being elected President, Mr. Trump was one of the most successful businessmen in the world with a responsibility to his company, his family and his employees to pay no more tax than legally required," stated a White House Spokesperson. "That being said, Mr. Trump paid $38 million dollars even after taking into account large scale depreciation for construction, on an income of more than $150 million dollars, as well as paying tens of millions of dollars in other taxes such as sales and excise taxes and employment taxes and this illegally published return proves just that."

According to Rachel Maddow, the first amendment gives them the right to publish these documents and doing so is not illegal. She goes on to say that they are also not fake news.

"Nor am I fake, pinch me, I'm real," Rachel says.

"Despite this substantial income figure and tax paid, it is totally illegal to steal and publish tax returns," stated a White House Spokesperson. "The dishonest media can continue to make this part of their agenda, while the President will focus on his, which includes tax reform that will benefit all Americans.

This was the first known time that reporters have gotten their hands on such a document. This 2 page report was discovered in the mailbox of Pulitzer Prize winner, and tax expert, David Cay Johnston. It is not the full tax return, because there would be a lot of schedules and notes that go along with it, as well as the sources of his income.

MSNBC

See the full report with David Cay Johnston interview: