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| Donald Trump skirts the taxing questions and declares: I'm working for you now Donald Trump skirts the taxing questions and declares: I'm working for you now | |
| (2 months later) | |
| Donald Trump supporters were treated to lengthy expositions on the 1990s real estate market and tax planning strategies on Monday as the Republican candidate sought to quell mounting unease over his financial past. | Donald Trump supporters were treated to lengthy expositions on the 1990s real estate market and tax planning strategies on Monday as the Republican candidate sought to quell mounting unease over his financial past. |
| In a rare departure from a tradition of largely ignoring criticism, Trump spent much of the day addressing revelations that threaten to puncture his image as a champion of the downtrodden American worker. | In a rare departure from a tradition of largely ignoring criticism, Trump spent much of the day addressing revelations that threaten to puncture his image as a champion of the downtrodden American worker. |
| “The unfairness in the tax laws is unbelievable,” he told an evening rally in Loveland, Colorado, following suggestions he could have escaped paying taxes for nearly two decades thanks to declaring $916m in losses. | “The unfairness in the tax laws is unbelievable,” he told an evening rally in Loveland, Colorado, following suggestions he could have escaped paying taxes for nearly two decades thanks to declaring $916m in losses. |
| “I am a big beneficiary, but you are more important than my being a big beneficiary, so we are going to straighten it out and make it fairer for everybody,” he added, seeking to persuade voters that past exploitation of the rules for personal gain would be put to one side if he became president. | “I am a big beneficiary, but you are more important than my being a big beneficiary, so we are going to straighten it out and make it fairer for everybody,” he added, seeking to persuade voters that past exploitation of the rules for personal gain would be put to one side if he became president. |
| “Fixing our broken tax code is one of the main reasons I’m running for president,” he told an earlier rally in Pueblo. “I’m working for you now,” he added, “I’m not working for Trump.” | “Fixing our broken tax code is one of the main reasons I’m running for president,” he told an earlier rally in Pueblo. “I’m working for you now,” he added, “I’m not working for Trump.” |
| Without directly referencing the 1995 tax return, leaked to the New York Times, Trump veered between defending his actions and claiming that they gave him special insight into ensuring other rich taxpayers could not do the same. | Without directly referencing the 1995 tax return, leaked to the New York Times, Trump veered between defending his actions and claiming that they gave him special insight into ensuring other rich taxpayers could not do the same. |
| “As a businessperson I have legally used the tax laws to the benefit of my company, my investors, my employees and my family,” he said. “It’s my job always to minimise the overall tax burden to the greatest extent possible which allows me to invest in neighborhood workers, building amazing structures all over the place and it fuels tremendous growth in various communities throughout the United States. | “As a businessperson I have legally used the tax laws to the benefit of my company, my investors, my employees and my family,” he said. “It’s my job always to minimise the overall tax burden to the greatest extent possible which allows me to invest in neighborhood workers, building amazing structures all over the place and it fuels tremendous growth in various communities throughout the United States. |
| “I understand the tax laws better than anyone which is why I am the one who can fix them.” | “I understand the tax laws better than anyone which is why I am the one who can fix them.” |
| Trump also blamed the situation both on politicians and business lobbyists, despite a long track record of political donations and influence-seeking himself. | Trump also blamed the situation both on politicians and business lobbyists, despite a long track record of political donations and influence-seeking himself. |
| “This is not the fault of the IRS but the political class that is owned outright by the special interests and the lobbyists,” he told a Colorado crowd that appeared to lose interest as the segment went on. “It’s these politicians that wrote and amended this tax code that is a disgrace to this country in many ways.” | “This is not the fault of the IRS but the political class that is owned outright by the special interests and the lobbyists,” he told a Colorado crowd that appeared to lose interest as the segment went on. “It’s these politicians that wrote and amended this tax code that is a disgrace to this country in many ways.” |
| The story has presented the Republican nominee with another challenge, however, which is how he squares the massive loss with his claims to be an exceptional businessman. He turned to economic history to explain his turnaround skills. | The story has presented the Republican nominee with another challenge, however, which is how he squares the massive loss with his claims to be an exceptional businessman. He turned to economic history to explain his turnaround skills. |
| The 1990s, he claimed, saw “conditions far worse than the great depression for real estate developers”. But he took on the “financial establishment” and won. | The 1990s, he claimed, saw “conditions far worse than the great depression for real estate developers”. But he took on the “financial establishment” and won. |
| “It was the roughest period I have ever seen but today my company is bigger and stronger than ever before … I knew how to use the tax code to rebuild my company.” | “It was the roughest period I have ever seen but today my company is bigger and stronger than ever before … I knew how to use the tax code to rebuild my company.” |
| Earlier in the day Trump was forced to dig himself out of a rhetorical hole after appearing to suggest that war veterans suffering from mental health issues were not “strong” and “can’t handle” combat. | Earlier in the day Trump was forced to dig himself out of a rhetorical hole after appearing to suggest that war veterans suffering from mental health issues were not “strong” and “can’t handle” combat. |
| “When you talk about mental health problems, when people come back from war and combat, they see things that maybe a lot of the folks in this room have seen many times over,” he told a veteran in Virginia who asked about funding for suicide prevention and post-traumatic stress counselling. “You’re strong and you can handle it, but a lot of people can’t handle it.” | “When you talk about mental health problems, when people come back from war and combat, they see things that maybe a lot of the folks in this room have seen many times over,” he told a veteran in Virginia who asked about funding for suicide prevention and post-traumatic stress counselling. “You’re strong and you can handle it, but a lot of people can’t handle it.” |
| There were claims that Trump had belittled those struggling with mental illness, an issue many in the military believe needs to be destigmatised. The Trump campaign issued a swift rebuttal – his words had been taken out of context and he was merely “highlighting the challenges veterans face when returning home after serving their country”. | There were claims that Trump had belittled those struggling with mental illness, an issue many in the military believe needs to be destigmatised. The Trump campaign issued a swift rebuttal – his words had been taken out of context and he was merely “highlighting the challenges veterans face when returning home after serving their country”. |