A blockbuster story from The New York Times on Sunday revealed President Trump paid only $750 in taxes in 2016 and 2017 and no taxes for 10 of the 15 years before entering the White House.
The extremely low figures are shocking because, according to Forbes, Trump is worth approximately $2.5 billion.
"His portfolio, which includes commercial buildings, golf properties and branding businesses, is worth an estimated $3.66 billion before debt," Forbes reports. "The president has a fair amount of leverage — adding up to a roughly $1.13 billion — but not enough to drag his net worth below a billion dollars."
<p>To put things in perspective, the $750 Trump paid in taxes is wha<a href="https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/21459782/trump-750-tax-returns-nyt" target="_blank">t a single adult with no children </a>who earned $17,900 in 2017 would pay.</p><div class="rm-embed embed-media"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="giphy-embed" frameborder="0" height="274" src="https://giphy.com/embed/giQFkQsAppa5qwdUuI" width="480"></iframe><p><a href="https://giphy.com/gifs/news-donald-trump-it-is-what-giQFkQsAppa5qwdUuI"></a></p></div><p>In 2017, the <a href="https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2020-09-28/trump-taxes-750-tax-payment" target="_blank">median income</a> American household brought in $63,761 according to the Census Bureau. The federal income tax cost for this family would be about $8,600 for couples filing jointly, and $11,670 for singles — that's more than ten times greater than what the President of the United States paid.<br></p><p>Trump's tax payments provide even further evidence of his duplicitous business dealings and are an indictment of a system that treats billionaires differently than working people. </p><p>However, to Trump, it's simply an indicator of his intelligence.</p><p>In a 2016 debate, Hillary Clinton brought up his attempts to stiff the government on his tax obligations, to which Trump replied, "That makes me smart."</p><p>"He's paid zero. That means zero for troops, zero for vets, zero for schools, and health," Clinton said. "And I think probably he's not all that enthusiastic about having the rest of our country see what the real reasons are because it must be something really important, even terrible that he's trying to hide."</p><div id="16a3a" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="448fc8cafa063f69c93f45358e881c39"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1310370983514124288" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">By the way, @HillaryClinton told y’all... https://t.co/kOrsJ3nCeg</div> — Maya Harris (@Maya Harris)<a href="https://twitter.com/mayaharris_/statuses/1310370983514124288">1601251762.0</a></blockquote></div><p>The Joe Biden campaign responded to the tax revelations by releasing a calculator that allows people to compare what they pay in taxes to Trump. <br></p><p>"Do you pay more or less in federal income taxes than our "billionaire" President? Use this calculator to find out," the site reads.</p><div id="3dc0e" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="4fc4e333e4bf3339b380cbffcbc3c51d"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1310644190364209155" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">How much more did you pay in taxes than President Trump?
Head to https://t.co/h9ZZ0iBuiE to find out. https://t.co/w689uVoHq7</div> — Joe Biden (@Joe Biden)<a href="https://twitter.com/JoeBiden/statuses/1310644190364209155">1601316900.0</a></blockquote></div><p>Democratic representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez pointed out the blatant inequity in our system that allows Trump to get away with tax avoidance while lower-wage workers foot the bill.</p><p>"In 2016 and '17, I paid thousands of dollars a year in taxes as a bartender. Trump paid $750," Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez tweeted Sunday. "He contributed less to funding our communities than waitresses and undocumented immigrants. Donald Trump has never cared for our country more than he cares for himself. A walking scam."</p><p>The news about Trump's taxes has inspired many Americans to follow Ocasio-Cortez's lead by sharing the amount they pay in taxes and how they earned their money.<br></p><div id="555fe" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="fb105a8e3b5121cc48dcf798ad943e42"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1310333318722973697" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">As an undocumented immigrant, I can now say that I've paid more in taxes than the President. According to NYT,… https://t.co/msS6IvSn6T</div> — Rodrigo P. Pimentel (@Rodrigo P. Pimentel)<a href="https://twitter.com/rdrigopimentel/statuses/1310333318722973697">1601242782.0</a></blockquote></div><p><br></p><div id="e9423" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="96fcb248648239111a831885e7e531be"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1310330789914193920" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">I am a 16-year-old part-time minimum wage worker and I pay more income taxes than the billionaire President of the United States</div> — Calla (@Calla)<a href="https://twitter.com/CallaWalsh/statuses/1310330789914193920">1601242179.0</a></blockquote></div><p><br></p><div id="4f09c" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="d161c08680b5ce89b9237b7218928ac2"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1310435592480657409" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">How many folks out there have paid more taxes than the President of the United States of America?</div> — BrooklynDad_Defiant! (@BrooklynDad_Defiant!)<a href="https://twitter.com/mmpadellan/statuses/1310435592480657409">1601267166.0</a></blockquote></div><p><br></p><div id="69812" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="d9fb7a38c68793b01ebc55fffa54067a"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1310538282875473922" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">I live on a Social Security retirement income. Last year I paid more income taxes than Donald Trump. So I guess tha… https://t.co/4bNUom9NhK</div> — John Lundin 🌊 (@John Lundin 🌊)<a href="https://twitter.com/johnlundin/statuses/1310538282875473922">1601291649.0</a></blockquote></div><p><br></p><div id="b34d8" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="2fd0e8693c9d5236e3681c61118e2591"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1310342043819020288" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">Today I found out I paid more income taxes in 2016-2017 than our president</div> — Nick Hammerstrom (@Nick Hammerstrom)<a href="https://twitter.com/kcinnick49/statuses/1310342043819020288">1601244862.0</a></blockquote></div><p><br></p><p><br></p><div id="73027" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="eeae88f50f7d094e4a2a7c50d4ca9630"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1310373022998634498" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">I paid more income taxes bussing fucking tables at TGIF’s in Harrisburg PA than the president of the United States… https://t.co/UFWTdx7DGl</div> — steven pasquale (@steven pasquale)<a href="https://twitter.com/StevePasquale/statuses/1310373022998634498">1601252248.0</a></blockquote></div><p><br></p><div id="72514" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="dcf1a26aa6c92515d25c5751b4c31537"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1310544327727292416" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">I'm a 43-year-old bookkeeper from Florida with an 18-year-old son
I paid more in federal taxes.
#TrumpTaxReturns</div> — Steely Jan (@Steely Jan)<a href="https://twitter.com/Woman_on_Pause/statuses/1310544327727292416">1601293091.0</a></blockquote></div><p><br></p><div id="409b6" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="1a8f03e74d9f81aadcd98e59d40d0983"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1310535898975498242" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">I am 9 years old.
I have paid more taxes than Donald Trump. https://t.co/EwlsCz3oXs</div> — Havana Chapman-Edwards (@Havana Chapman-Edwards)<a href="https://twitter.com/TheTinyDiplomat/statuses/1310535898975498242">1601291081.0</a></blockquote></div><p><br></p><div id="3c790" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="df24cd611ff17ba9d879023a0dbf94c7"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1310360859663839232" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">Hi my name is Beth, I’m a grad student, I make less than 35k a year, and I pay more income taxes than the president of the United States.</div> — Elizabeth Burton (@Elizabeth Burton)<a href="https://twitter.com/BethBGenetics/statuses/1310360859663839232">1601249348.0</a></blockquote></div><p><br></p><p><br></p><div id="6a106" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="21b95d1e73410876b48baee359f4b6f6"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1310546844943093761" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">me thinkin bout how I pay more taxes than trump https://t.co/v2GPeYKcTG</div> — art hoe (@art hoe)<a href="https://twitter.com/_ehammy/statuses/1310546844943093761">1601293691.0</a></blockquote></div><p><br></p><div id="94d50" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="69c0e145ce8b10edae3c1c22c37a1d31"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1310589530018328577" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">In 2015 I was an Assistant Account Executive at my marketing firm. If you’re not familiar with agency vernacular -… https://t.co/LTrrM18w5T</div> — Jordy (@Jordy)<a href="https://twitter.com/J_Mei21/statuses/1310589530018328577">1601303868.0</a></blockquote></div><p><br></p><div id="8d411" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="95d569cdd828410daef1223320a14482"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1310399716807659526" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">My family of seven, with a household income of less than $75K per year in high cost-of-living New England, pays mor… https://t.co/SmYZSVKAtL</div> — Religious Sect Survivor 🌹 (@Religious Sect Survivor 🌹)<a href="https://twitter.com/MormonCultFree/statuses/1310399716807659526">1601258613.0</a></blockquote></div><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br><br></p><p><br><br></p><p><br><br></p>
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