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President Donald Trump frequently claimed on the campaign trail that he'd become a self-made billionaire after receiving "a small loan of a million dollars" from his father, Fred Trump.
After a bombshell special investigation from The New York Times revealed that Trump had actually received at least $415 million dollars––often illegally or unethically––from his father, the president took to Twitter to decry the paper.
The Failing New York Times did something I have never seen done before. They used the concept of “time value of mon… https://t.co/OaNSM7we21— Donald J. Trump (@Donald J. Trump) 1538571215.0
Trump bashing the New York Times is hardly new, but what's shocking is what Trump left out. When it comes to sexual assault allegations, the president advises the accused to "deny, deny, deny," he doesn't seem to be taking his own advice when it comes to tax fraud.
Many were quick to point out that, while Trump clearly didn't like the story, he stayed mum on whether it was true.
@realDonaldTrump Ok. You don't like the NYT and the reporting they do about you. However, you're not addressing the… https://t.co/yHFLZ9lzvT— Kimbra Cable (@Kimbra Cable) 1538585468.0
@realDonaldTrump 1. I notice you don’t dispute any of the facts. 2. You are the one who can’t seem to stop bringing… https://t.co/IVKo2i8k1t— Beth Corvino (@Beth Corvino) 1538588150.0
The president is often quick to claim that bad press against him is outright false (even when it's true), so many took this non-denial as confirmation of the story's claims.
@realDonaldTrump So you are actually confirming the facts of the @nytimes story?— Iris S (@Iris S) 1538583947.0
@realDonaldTrump Congratulations on confirming the accuracy of the story, I didn't think you had it in you— Moustachio Fx (@Moustachio Fx) 1538585487.0
The Times article appears to confirm that the president and his father conspired to skirt millions of dollars in taxes.
It has some resurrecting the calls for Donald Trump to do something he's been pressured to do since he was a candidate.
Many are saying that, even with an outright denial, Trump should prove it by (you guessed it) releasing his tax returns--something every president and presidential nominee since the 1970's has voluntarily done.
@realDonaldTrump Or, you could just clear this whole thing up by showing us your tax returns. You know, something… https://t.co/kgNJ9KOhMD— Princi Cat (@Princi Cat) 1538586655.0
@realDonaldTrump Prove them wrong. Release your tax returns.— 🌊🇺🇸 Rob Sweeney 🇺🇸🌊 (@🌊🇺🇸 Rob Sweeney 🇺🇸🌊) 1538583406.0
@realDonaldTrump If they’re lying, you can show us your tax returns to prove it.— ireallydocare (@ireallydocare) 1538584995.0
Though Trump declined to comment to the Times when the article was being written, Charles J. Harder, an attorney for Trump firmly denied the claims:
“There was no fraud or tax evasion by anyone. The facts upon which The Times bases its false allegations are extremely inaccurate. President Trump had virtually no involvement whatsoever with these matters.”
However, attorneys working for Donald Trump aren't known for being pillars of ethics.
The president hasn't addressed why he himself has yet to deny the claims, but many are saying it's because the New York Times brought receipts.
@realDonaldTrump Meticulously researched and highly detailed report! Thanks NY Times for confirming what this nativ… https://t.co/64AYSPap2o— Frankie Boy Civello (@Frankie Boy Civello) 1538585312.0
@realDonaldTrump An incredible investigation, more than 100,000 pages of records. The New York Times is not failing… https://t.co/sX88jL2TMk— Kathleen Kirkwood (@Kathleen Kirkwood) 1538586278.0
@realDonaldTrump It was very in-depth article and it’s certainly not classified as boring so now would be a good day to release your taxes— Robbin ¯\_(ツ)_/¯🎃 (@Robbin ¯\_(ツ)_/¯🎃) 1538584378.0
While the crimes mentioned in the article aren't exactly surprising, it will be interesting how Trump continues to respond as the story gains ground.