Donald Trump has been resisting the release of his tax records for years. Critics therefore suspect that the ex-president has something to hide. After another defeat in court, Trump has few options.
An appeals court has cleared the way for the release of former US President Donald Trump's tax records to a House committee. The District of Columbia Court of Appeals finally denied the ex-president's motion. The decision means Trump must release his tax positions to the committee. However, it is believed that Trump's lawyers will now try to appeal to the country's Supreme Court.
The ex-president has been resisting the release of his tax documents for years. The Treasury Department of Trump's successor Joe Biden's administration instructed the IRS last year to hand over the documents to the committee.
"The law has always been on our side," Tax Policy Committee Chairman Richard E. Neal said after the decision. "Former President Trump has attempted to delay the inevitable, but once again the court has reaffirmed the strength of our position. We have waited long enough - we must begin our oversight of the Treasury Department's mandatory audit program as soon as possible."
In contradiction to political customs in the USA, the real estate entrepreneur Trump had not made his tax return public either as a presidential candidate or after moving into the White House. Critics therefore suspect that he has something to hide.
The appeals court had already rejected Trump's application in August, thereby upholding the decision of a lower court. The ex-president then requested a re-examination, which has now also been rejected. Trump is struggling with a number of legal problems. In addition to the dispute over the removal of secret government documents, several lawsuits are pending against him.
