Reporter @ The New York Times, co-author of Lucky Loser, due out September 17, 2024. Send tips via email or through the secure link in this profile. 👊🗞️
Just Posted: The NYT has obtained the president’s tax return information for thousands of personal and corporate returns going back decades. Here’s our first story. Watch this space for additional articles in the coming weeks.
@russbuettner
&
@mmcintire
JUST POSTED: The New York Times has obtained 10 years of previously unrevealed figures from Donald Trump's federal income-tax returns - from 1985 to 1994. Trump ran up $1.2 billion in core business losses in the decade we examined. LOTS here 👉
This just happened: A New York State judge has ordered Donald Trump to pay The New York Times $392,638.69 for legal fees connected to a frivolous lawsuit he brought against the paper, two of my colleagues and me.👍
A judge has tossed Donald Trump’s lawsuit against me, my colleagues and The New York Times AND Trump has been ordered to pay our legal fees. 💯 via
@thedailybeast
Just Posted: Maryanne Trump Barry, President Trump’s older sister, faced accusations of judicial misconduct over her role in the fraudulent tax schemes reported by The Times. She decided to retire, making her immune from misconduct proceedings.
Most of us prepay federal income tax, it comes right off our paycheck. Those payments factor into our annual tax bill.
Here is Trump’s final federal income tax bill, year by year, since 2011.
2017 - $750
2016 - $750
2015 - $641,931
2014 - $0
2013 - $0
2012 - $0
2011 - $0
@russbuettner
FATHER & SON: We now have tax info on Fred Trump & Donald Trump for a number of years. The upshot: Fred always made a lot of money. Donald always lost a lot of money. For a reminder on just how rich Fred was, here’s our 2018 tax fraud investigation.
Deutsche Bank has all but confirmed the bank is in possession of tax returns for President Trump and some of his immediate family. Names are redacted in the letter the bank just filed in response to Monday's court order, but it's clear who they are referring to. 👉
Donald Trump paid no income taxes in 8 of the 10 years we examined. His losses were so big that in 1991 they accounted for fully 1% of all business losses declared that year by individual American taxpayers. w
@russbuettner
New Tax Story: As Trump raises questions about Hunter Biden and China, his tax records show China is one of three foreign countries where he has reported having a bank account. He paid $188,561 in taxes in China in 2013-2015 w
@mmcintire
&
@russbuettner
This is devastating. One NYC doctor speaks out / takes video footage of what it’s like on the inside. They are using a freezer truck to store bodies. “I don’t really care if I get in trouble” she said. “I want people to know this is bad. People are dying.”
So here’s a thing. I was in court today because Donald Trump is suing me, The New York Times and my colleagues for $100 million doing our jobs, stuff like knocking on doors and asking for documents. The suit is ridiculous. Today a judge heard arguments on our motion to dismiss.👊
We’re always on the hunt for more information on Trump’s taxes and his financial condition. Here’s a secure way to get documents and tips to The Times. Snail mail also works: 620 8th Avenue NYC 10018. Please retweet.
NY Times responds: "The Times's coverage of Donald Trump's taxes helped inform citizens through meticulous reporting on a subject of overriding public interest. This lawsuit is an attempt to silence independent news organizations and we plan to vigorously defend against it.”
New: Judge Maryanne Trump Barry faced accusations of judicial misconduct over her role in the Trumps' fraudulent tax schemes uncovered in our 2018 tax investigation. Her retirement neutralizes those allegations. Here's the initial story. .
We don’t have Donald Trump’s actual tax returns. Rather we obtained printouts from his official I.R.S. tax transcripts, with figures from his federal 1040, for 85 to 94. Here’s an explanation of our sourcing ->
Why I love journalism and The NYT. On Sept 23, 2016 I found three pages of Donald Trump’s 1995 tax return in my mailbox. My colleagues and I kept digging. It has been a crazy hard beat but I’m so glad we stuck with it. Here’s all our work in one spot. 🙏
A series of one-off payments to companies controlled by Donald Trump. A $30 million loan in the final weeks of the election. Our latest tax story looks at how the president used his Las Vegas hotel in 2016 to get much-needed cash.
I paid many millions of dollars in Taxes to the Federal Government, most of which was even paid early, or PREPAID. MANY $MILLIONS. The Failing
@nytimes
never likes reporting that!
Deutsche Bank and Capital One Financial have until Tuesday by 4 p.m. to tell the court if they are in possession of any of President Trump's tax returns. If they won't answer they need to explain in detail why. Here's today's court order 👉
1. N.Y. prosecutors looking into Donald Trump's businesses are about to get his tax returns and other financial records. The Times obtained Trump's tax return information in 2020 and there is plenty there for investigators to pursue. A thread 👉
OUR NEXT STORY: Donald Trump's taxes show how fame (not real estate) gave him a financial lifeline that carried him to the White House. No endorsement deal was too small w
@mmcintire
&
@russbuettner
It's significant N.Y. investigators are getting a trove of financial records beyond tax returns. Returns are almost always one piece of the puzzle. In 2018 we used tax returns, financial statements and more to show Trump engaged in tax fraud in the 1990s.
Just Posted: Another legal headache for the Trump family. This time tenants in Fred Trump’s old buildings are suing because of a fraudulent scheme that drove up their rents. In 2018 The Times uncovered the story
@russbuettner
How FedEx cuts it’s tax bill to $0. In 2017 the firm owed more than $1.5 billion in taxes. The next year, nothing. What changed? The Trump tax cut — for which the company had lobbied hard. Great piece via
@jimtankersley
@uwsgeezer
@bencasselman
Our Latest Tax Story: Donald Trump’s Taxes Show He Engineered a Sudden Cash Windfall in 2016 From His Las Vegas Hotel, with
@mmcintire
&
@russbuettner
Bad for business. The P.G.A. has stripped a major championship from a Trump course. Deutsche Bank has decided not to do any future business with Mr. Trump or his company. Signature Bank has begun closing Mr. Trump’s personal accounts.
New Tax Story: Donald Trump’s taxes show he didn't reach for his wallet for most of his charitable giving. The bulk of it came from donating land. His taxes also cast doubt on a number of charitable commitments he has boasted about.
@russbuettner
Donald Trump reported $52.9M in interest income in 89. The number is BIG, according to IRS data we examined. We don't know what Trump owned that could produce this type of $. The answer is on schedules we don’t have & underscores the importance of seeing Trump’s full tax return
Deutsche Bank appears to have tax returns for President Trump. Capital One Financial does not. It's hardly surprising Deutsche Bank has some of Trump's tax returns. What's shocking to me is the bank was unwilling to answer this basic question until faced with a court order.
Just Posted: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. says there is a dead worm in his brain. “The doctor believed that the abnormality seen on his scans ‘was caused by a worm that got into my brain and ate a portion of it and then died,’ Mr. Kennedy said in the deposition.”
“Some of Mr. Burnett’s staff members wondered how a wealthy businessman supposedly running a real estate empire could spare the time, but they soon discovered that not everything in Mr. Trump’s world was as it appeared.”
I am getting a lot of questions on the audit / audits of Donald Trump’s taxes so this is a 🧵 on what my colleagues and I know. First off, Trump was facing two I.R.S audits that we know about when he was in the White House.
When the suit was tossed: “Courts have long recognized that reporters are entitled to engage in legal and ordinary news-gathering activities without fear of tort liability — as these actions are at the very core of protected first amendment activity.”
2. The consulting fees. Trump's taxes show unidentified consultants’ fees, some of which can be matched to payments received by Ivanka Trump. Were these payments legit / did her siblings also receive big consulting fees? See this story for details.
5. What happened in Las Vegas? In 2016 Donald Trump engineered a windfall for himself as his campaign funds dwindled. Here I would want to see the agreements he has claimed underpin the payments he got - and any communications he had with his accountants.
I adopted Chloe from a dog rescue years ago. We’ve been inseparable ever since. She was recently attacked by a pit bull. It was the most terrifying 10 minutes of my life. This story was hard to write. I tear up when I read it. Please leash your dogs folks.
Trump had to personally guarantee $421 million in debt. His businesses owe $200M more. He says it’s peanuts but much of this debt is about to come due as the president’s businesses continue to struggle. New details here on Trump’s debt, w
@russbuettner
Just Posted: The inside story of how the producers of The Apprentice crafted a fictional version of Trump — measured, thoughtful and endlessly wealthy — that fueled his path to the White House. An excerpt from Lucky Loser, my upcoming book w
@russbuettner
3. Trump's taxes don't show hush-money payments to women. However, investigators should be able to get their hands on additional documents, which will show whether any payments were buried in an area like legal fees, which are not itemized on tax returns.
4. Seven Springs is a mansion in N.Y. The Trumps have said it's a family retreat. Donald Trump told the I.R.S. it's an investment property, a move that has generated him substantial tax savings. We explore the issues around this here.
Here the I.R.S. audit files state that Donald Trump’s use of professional accountants to prepare his taxes “ensured accuracy.” Keep in mind Trump’s firm was convicted of tax fraud by a jury in N.Y. earlier this month.
@russbuettner
If Donald Trump’s modern taxes ever come out it’s important we see the 1040 form AND the attached schedules. The schedules will tell us sources of his income / how profitable (or not) his individual businesses are and more. So all the pages, as seen here👉
“I believe these numbers are inflated.” Donald Trump has spent a lifetime inflating his wealth. My story with
@russbuettner
on today’s proceedings.
Some fraction of Donald Trump’s losses can be attributed to depreciation. We found most of it was just bad business. Here is what Trump said about depreciation in ‘Art of the Deal’.
Real estate developers in the 1980’s & 1990’s, more than 30 years ago, were entitled to massive write offs and depreciation which would, if one was actively building, show losses and tax losses in almost all cases. Much was non monetary. Sometimes considered “tax shelter,” ......
Donald Trump was paid roughly $4.5 million for Crippled America, his 2015 book. No, that is not a typo. He promised to give the proceeds to charity, though his taxes show not all of it went to good causes. New tax story here 👉
A silver lining today was getting to hear the peerless
@davidmccraw
handle oral arguments for team
@nytimes
. 🙏 He’s the real deal and on the frontlines for us and the First Amendment everyday.
The N.Y. attorney general CAN interview Donald Trump and two of his adult children under oath as part of a civil inquiry into his business practices, a judge ruled on Thursday, rejecting the former president’s effort to block the questioning. 👀
It seems like a good week to revisit some of the
@nytimes
notable stories on Donald Trump’s taxes / finances. Our first big article ran in 2016 with the revelation Trump declared a $916 million loss on his 1995 income tax return. Wow. 👀
@BoutrousTed
@MaryLTrump
Spot on. We uncovered egregious tax fraud in the article
@MaryLTrump
helped us on. We subsequently got our hands on Donald Trump’s tax returns and this story zeros in on some of the issues the Manhattan D.A. is now looking at
All I can say about the annual presidential audit - or lack of - is what an epic fail. The Ways and Means Committee report had some great detail on the audit breakdown thanks to the auditor notes they obtained. It’s a travesty the committee didn’t release those.
A onetime top adviser to the Trump campaign was paid $50,000 to help seek a pardon for John Kiriakou, a former C.I.A. officer convicted of illegally disclosing classified information, and agreed to a $50,000 bonus if the president granted it, according to a copy of an agreement.
EXCLUSIVE: Trump allies -- like a former campaign staffer and even his former personal lawyer, John Dowd -- have sold their access to Trump, taking $$$ from wealthy felons to lobby Trump and White House aides, like Jared Kushner, for pardons. w/
@kenvogel
The medals on Donald Trump’s jacket in his New York Military Academy grad photo? They belonged to a friend. “He’s wearing my medals on his uniform,” one cadet said. An excerpt from Lucky Loser, my new book out this week with
@russbuettner
An adverse ruling in this audit could cost Donald Trump more than $100 million. I have a lot of questions about this old audit, chiefly why did it drag on for so long and what is the status of it?
#IRS
Donald Trump’s claim his federal tax prepayments count as income tax paid is ridiculous. Like most of us he makes estimated payments, mine comes off my paycheck. We explain his tentative payments here. Bottom line: he paid $750 in 2016 and $750 in 2017.
Some news: Donald Trump has paid the $392,638.69 he owed The New York Times for legal fees connected to a frivolous lawsuit he brought against the paper, two of my colleagues and me.
It seems like a good week to revisit some of the
@nytimes
notable stories on Donald Trump’s taxes / finances. Our first big article ran in 2016 with the revelation Trump declared a $916 million loss on his 1995 income tax return. Wow. 👀
The N.Y. Attorney General, in her 2022 lawsuit against Donald Trump, revealed that Deutsche Bank decided to cut ties with Trump after his company refused to answer some questions, including one about the
@nytimes
revelation of the 2009 audit. Page 195 👉
It seems like a good week to revisit some of the
@nytimes
notable stories on Donald Trump’s taxes / finances. Our first big article ran in 2016 with the revelation Trump declared a $916 million loss on his 1995 income tax return. Wow. 👀
Michael Cohen told Congress today that Donald Trump would inflate his total assets when it served his purposes, and deflate them to reduce his real estate taxes. He has been doing this for decades. A look back at our October tax fraud investigation.
Polk Award for Financial Reporting: Russ Buettner, Susanne Craig and Mike McIntire of The New York Times for accessing and analyzing a trove of Donald Trump’s income tax information, providing insight into why he went to great lengths to hide it from the public view.
Just posted: Donald Trump Paid $750 in Federal Income Taxes in 2017. Here’s the Math From His Tax Return. (Hint: More Than $15 Million in Business Losses.)
This new lawsuit could pose a significant financial threat to Mr. Trump and his family. Any potential judgment would encompass every person who paid rent in more than 14,000 rent-regulated apartments since 1992.
The first audit started in 2009. It was over the legitimacy of a $72.9 million refund Donald Trump got that year. There’s a lot of detail on this audit in our 2020 investigation into his taxes.
Just Posted: The financial minefield awaiting Donald Trump. Many of his resorts were losing millions of dollars a year even before the pandemic struck. Loans are coming due. He has burned through much of his cash. And that pesky audit. w
@russbuettner
Turning up the heat: Manhattan prosecutors recently warned that they might charge Allen Weisselberg with insurance fraud to pressure him to cooperate in the Stormy Daniel’s hush money investigation, via the top-notch NYT reporters covering this story.
On The Case: The Manhattan district attorney has enlisted a former federal prosecutor who is an expert on white-collar crime to join the team investigating the Trump family business.
>>
@ChrisCuomo
at the top of
@CuomoPrimeTime
tonight: "Obviously I am aware of what is going on with my brother. And obviously I cannot cover it because he is my brother. Now, of course CNN has to cover it. They have covered it extensively and they will continue to do so."
This
@davidenrich
story is a must read for anyone following Trump’s finances. Enrich is the go-to reporter on all things Deutsche Bank & Trump and you can see why here. via
@NYTimes
Lucky Loser by
@russbuettner
&
@susannecraig
, coming Sep 10. Based on hundreds of interviews and 20 years of Trump’s confidential tax information & business records, this is the final word on the myth of Trump, the self-made billionaire. Preorder now:
In 2020 we published this story, based on Trump’s corporate and personal tax return data spanning two decades up to 2018. The article is action packed.🍿Struggling businesses, a looming IRS audit that could cost him more than $100 million. So. Much. More.
The causes RFK Jr. has championed have made him A LOT of money. His life has been a long, private hustle of paid speeches, advisory gigs and so on. Wealthy friends were behind the purchase of his home on the Kennedy compound. My story on his money.
On deck for Tuesday: The Supreme Court is set to hear arguments on whether President Trump can block the release of his financial records. Here's what you need to know, via
@adamliptak
This 60 Minutes segment was rough. Brought back a lot of memories. I was down there and remember watching people jump to their death. Respect to the first responders and everyone touched by that day.
Here’s our 2018 story that details the fraud at the heart of the new lawsuit filed against Trump and various family members. Do a word search for ‘All County’. The article also includes documents that show what happened.
Trump Organization Criminal Trial Update: I was in court today and we have a jury. Twelve jurors have been selected and lawyers are now interviewing alternates. If things continue at this pace the trial could begin as early as Monday. Here are some early observations, a🧵
In 2018 we focused on the vast fortune Donald Trump inherited from his dad, and the tax fraud he engaged in to enhance it. Trump also hired real estate appraisers willing to low ball the value of family assets for personal gain. Sound familiar? 🤔
Lucky Loser, my book with
@russbuettner
on the lies, squandered fortune and serendipity that led Donald Trump to the White House, is out Tuesday! We will be on
@Lawrence
tonight on
@MSNBC
to talk about it. I hope we’ll see you then. 👀