For years, the tax documents of the incumbent president in the US have been an issue. Above all, it is about the question: why Donald Trump does not disclose this, as it was common among its predecessors? And: Can he be forced by a court to present it to a committee of the House of Representatives? For the time being at least not, as the US Supreme Court has made clear.
The Supreme Court decreed on Monday that this was not necessary until the judges made a decision on the matter. Trump's lawyers now have to file a formal appeal by December 5. It will probably be months before a final court decision on the case.
The Audit Committee had requested the documents from Trump's accountancy firm for a period of eight years under penalty of punishment, a so-called subpoena. At the beginning of November, an appeals court in Washington ruled that the subpoena was in place. Trump's lawyers then called the Supreme Court.
The president's "argument": nobody understands my tax return anyway
The Supreme Court is also pending another petition seeking to prevent Trump from handing over its tax records to the New York Procuratorate. The prosecution has also requested tax documents from Trump and its companies via Subpoena for a period of eight years.
Trump tries with all his might to prevent the release of the tax documents. His critics nourish the suspicion that he has something to hide. Normally, US presidential candidates publish their tax returns during the election campaign. Trump has argued, among other reasons, for his refusal in the past, that his tax returns are very complicated and people would not understand them.