Trump’s tax returns released, launching fresh scrutiny of his finances

House Democrats released several years’ worth of former President Donald Trump’s tax returns on Friday, launching what is sure to be another round of intense scrutiny of his finances.

The drop marks an extraordinary step by the House’s top tax writer, Ways and Means Chair Richard Neal (D-Mass.), who had been engaged in a three-and-a-half-year legal battle over the release of Trump’s taxes until the Supreme Court ruled in his favor in November. It also adds to a growing list of political and legal challenges for Trump as he mounts his 2024 campaign for president.

Democrats say their investigation of Trump’s taxes and a mandatory presidential audit program will transform accountability for the most powerful person in the country. Neal sued the Treasury Department in 2019 to obtain the returns under a law that allows the heads of Congress’ tax committees to access anyone’s tax information, after Trump broke decades of tradition by refusing to voluntarily release them as other presidential candidates and sitting presidents have.