Clinton camp: Trump’s ‘shady’ biz dealings make his taxes urgent matter

Hillary Clinton’s campaign says there is renewed urgency for Donald Trump to release his tax returns in the wake of reports of his company’s ties to foreign businesses and governments.

{mosads}In a press call with reporters Thursday, Hillary For America Chairman John Podesta argued that if Trump is elected president, some of his business connections could pose a threat to national security. 

“It raises the question whether President Trump is making decisions on the best interest of the U.S. and national security or would he be basing his decisions on what’s good for the Trump Organization’s bottom line,” Podesta said. 

A Newsweek investigation published this week says the Trump Organization’s foreign business ties could “upend” U.S. national security and pose a conflict of interest if the Republican candidate is elected. 

Newsweek argued that if the Trump family continued to receive any benefit from the organization, during or after his presidency, almost every foreign policy decision he makes would raise serious conflicts of interest. 

The magazine noted that the Trump empire extends to 12 countries including Turkey, South Korea and the United Arab Emirates, as well as Russia and Ukraine. 

Podesta called the dealings “shady” and “troubling.” 

“Donald Trump must release his tax returns. Maybe he’s not as rich as he claims. Maybe he pays no income tax. Maybe he doesn’t want people to know his claim about charitable contributions are a lie. All of these concerns aside, these new revelations about Trump’s shady ties brings new urgency to the question,” Podesta said.

“The time is long past for Donald Trump to start leveling with the American people and meet the basic standards of transparency of those seeking to be commander in chief.”

Trump has said he won’t release his tax returns while the IRS is auditing them.

But the IRS has said its audit wouldn’t preclude him from releasing the returns publicly.

The Clinton campaign has argued that she is held to higher standards of disclosure than Trump is. 

Clinton has also noted with frustration that because she has been in the public eye for so long, voters know more about her than nearly anyone else in public life. 

“Compare everything you know about me to everything you know about my opponent. I think it’s time he’s met the same level of disclosure I have for years,” Clinton said on CNN on Monday.

Trump on Thursday responded to the Newsweek article, insisting he would sever ties with his businesses if elected president.