'I don't want to pay tax': Trump grilled over bombshell tax returns report in presidential debate

President comes under fire for tax returns

Donald Trump said he doesn’t want to pay tax because he is “a private business people” during the first presidential debate with Joe Biden on Tuesday.

Responding to a question from moderator Chris Wallace about how much income tax he paid in 2016 and 2017, Mr Trump said: “millions of dollars.”

“It was the tax laws. I don’t want to pay tax. Before I came here I was a private developer. I was a private business people. Like every other private person, unless they’re stupid, they go through the laws,” he said.  

The question was a reference to recent revelations by the New York Times that Mr Trump paid only $750 in income tax in 2016 and 2017.

The Times, citing leaked tax return data, said Mr Trump also paid no income taxes in 10 of the 15 years through 2015.

Mr Biden responded to Mr Trump’s false claims with the words: “Release your tax returns.”

Mr Trump has promised for years to release his tax returns, but claimed they are being audited.