MSNBC anchor Rachel Maddow went to Twitter on Tuesday night to announce the news network has obtained Donald Trump’s tax returns. And she revealed the details of those returns tonight.
Prior to the broadcast, Maddow clarified MSNBC had received just a portion of the president’s elusive returns (his 1040 form from 2005) from Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist David Cay Johnston, who appeared on Tuesday’s show to breakdown the key points. But the form wasn’t the smoking gun many people had hoped for.
Maddow revealed that Trump paid taxes in 2005, but at a rate far lower than his income would normally require because of a legally dodgy write-off from years before. Maddow later said the release was significant because it proved it is, in fact, possible to obtain these types of documents. She also said it’s important to find out the sources of his income to ensure he doesn’t have any conflicts of interest. Which, duh.
Twitter was quick to call out Maddow and MSNBC for the anticlimactic reveal. You can check out some of the reactions below.
OMG !!! Trump is rich. Trump made a lot of money. Trump paid more in taxes than all of corporate NBC combined. Now @maddow be like: pic.twitter.com/QDb4KDD8i6
Rachel Maddow right now . pic.twitter.com/0CDoVuJ4Jk
I think @realDonaldTrump Just set Rachel @maddow up. She took the bait! Someone conveniently keeps releasing two pages of #TrumpTaxes pic.twitter.com/8F1lQPvvoy
More questions than answers tonight. I'm offering a $5m reward to anyone with Trump's complete, legally obtained tax returns.
@maddow We're in the same side about him but this was pointless
When Rachel Maddow reads her tweets tonight pic.twitter.com/YTjOEBrtJZ
When @maddow makes you think Trump and Russia filed a joint tax return, but in reality... pic.twitter.com/E6S5uLeUrs
I trusted you @ Rachel Maddow
Trump filed bankruptcy in 2004 he leaked his 2005 tax returns to distract us from Trumpcare stay woke pic.twitter.com/fv4cBsExFr
That was a bigger buildup and disappointment than the "Star Wars" prequels. https://t.co/txPdIxAgCB
#TrumpTaxReturns from 2005? #MSNBC Rachel Maddow this isn't #BreakingNews ! pic.twitter.com/UrbUrMBu1x
@maddow after the big reveal pic.twitter.com/meoEtzVEar
