Democrats will “never” see President Donald Trump’s tax returns, said White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney on Sunday, as a new front opened in the confrontation between the administration and Congress. Mr Mulvaney accused Democrats of engaging in a “political stunt” and wanting “attention” after the chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, Massachussetts congressman Richard Neal, asked the IRS to provide six years of Mr Trump’s personal taxreturns and the returns for some of his businesses. “That is not going to happen and they know it,” Mr Mulvaney told “Fox News Sunday.” White House will never release Donald Trump’s tax returns Credit: Saul Loeb/AFP Last week, Mr Neal, one of only three congressional officials authorised to request tax returns, requested Mr Trump’s personal and business returns in a letter to IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig. He asked for returns covering 2013 through 2018. He also asked for the documents in seven days, setting an April 10 deadline. An obscure 1924 statute includes no exceptions to Mr Neal’s authority to ask the Treasury Department for returns and says the department “shall furnish” them when requested. It does require that the review of an individual’s return be conducted by members of Congress in “closed executive session” if the returns are provided without the taxpayer’s consent. Still, Mr Mulvaney claimed the law provides for lawmakers to review individual tax returns but “political hit job is not one of those reasons.” His comments echoed those made by Mr Trump’s lawyers who argued the Democratic request “would set a dangerous precedent” if granted. Mr Trump broke with precedent when he chose not to release any tax returns as a presidential candidate. Mr Mulvaney tried to cast the issue of the president’s taxes as old news, saying it was “already litigated during the election” and the American people “elected him anyway”. Mr Trump has said he won’t release the information because he is under audit, something he reiterated again Friday while visiting the U.S-Mexico border. “I’m under audit. When you’re under audit you don’t do it,” Mr Trump said.
