<p>President Donald Trump paid USD 38 million in taxes on more than USD 150 million in income in 2005, the White House announced today, in a move to pre-empt a leak on this issue by one of the popular television shows.<br /><br />The White House released details of Trump's income and tax returns after a US television host presented what she said was part of the property mogul's tax forms from 2005.<br /><br />It was unclear who was behind the apparent leak. The White House released a strongly-worded statement condemning the "illegal" action. "Despite this substantial income figure and tax paid, it is totally illegal to steal and publish tax returns," the White House said.<br /><br />"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," it added.<br /><br />"You know you are desperate for rating when you are willing to violate the law to push a story about two pages of tax returns from over a decade ago," the statement read.<br /><br />Meadow said the federal document was mailed to David Cay Johnson, a Pulitzer prize winning reporters who now runs DCreport.org.<br /><br />Trump was the first major presidential candidate in decades not to release his tax returns. He had said that he would release it when the regular audit is complete.<br /><br />Trump, an accomplished businessman, won the general elections by running an unconventional campaign.<br /><br />Democrats and some Republicans have spent months calling for the tax returns to be released, arguing that they could show whether his global business empire posed a conflicts of interest.<br /><br />Hundreds of thousands of people have signed a petition demanding that the President immediately release his full tax returns, "with all information needed to verify emoluments clause compliance".</p>
<p>President Donald Trump paid USD 38 million in taxes on more than USD 150 million in income in 2005, the White House announced today, in a move to pre-empt a leak on this issue by one of the popular television shows.<br /><br />The White House released details of Trump's income and tax returns after a US television host presented what she said was part of the property mogul's tax forms from 2005.<br /><br />It was unclear who was behind the apparent leak. The White House released a strongly-worded statement condemning the "illegal" action. "Despite this substantial income figure and tax paid, it is totally illegal to steal and publish tax returns," the White House said.<br /><br />"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," it added.<br /><br />"You know you are desperate for rating when you are willing to violate the law to push a story about two pages of tax returns from over a decade ago," the statement read.<br /><br />Meadow said the federal document was mailed to David Cay Johnson, a Pulitzer prize winning reporters who now runs DCreport.org.<br /><br />Trump was the first major presidential candidate in decades not to release his tax returns. He had said that he would release it when the regular audit is complete.<br /><br />Trump, an accomplished businessman, won the general elections by running an unconventional campaign.<br /><br />Democrats and some Republicans have spent months calling for the tax returns to be released, arguing that they could show whether his global business empire posed a conflicts of interest.<br /><br />Hundreds of thousands of people have signed a petition demanding that the President immediately release his full tax returns, "with all information needed to verify emoluments clause compliance".</p>