What Is Trump Hiding?

On May 17, 2017, eight days after Donald Trump fired FBI Director James Comey, Acting Attorney General Rod Rosenstein appointed Robert Mueller III as "Special Counsel and authorized him to conduct the Russia investigation and matters that arose from the investigation." According to notes written by Jody Hunt, chief of staff to AG Jeff Sessions, when Sessions told the President that a Special Counsel had been appointed, the President slumped back in his chair and said, “Oh my God. This is terrible. This is the end of my Presidency. I’m fucked," and later said “Everyone tells me if you get one of these independent counsels it ruins your presidency. It takes years and years and I won’t be able to do anything. This is the worst thing that ever happened to me.” (1)

Why was Trump so worried about an investigation? Why is Trump terrified about the release of his taxes and financial records? Would his records show that he is an incompetent businessman and merely be an embarrassment? Or would they show illegal activity such as bank fraud and money laundering for foreign entities? Would they show he is both incompetent and a criminal? What is he hiding?

Trump is not a self-made made man. Based on an extensive investigation of tax and financial records by the New York Times, Trump inherited from his father the equivalent of $413 million in today's dollars mostly from dubious tax dodge schemes (2). Deutsche Bank loaned Trump billions even after other major banks refused to deal with him because of his multiple repeated bankruptcies (3).

Some of Trump's recent and public failures while president include: his $25 million settlement after a federal court ruled that Trump "University" was a scam and had defrauded students (4); and his namesake Trump "Charity" being dissolved under court supervision in late 2018 because of blatant misuse of funds. He and his three adult children are banned from leadership roles in any NY state charity (5). These are a few additions to a lengthy, and so far mostly secret, résumé of his unethical "deals."

Trump and his protectors are gaslighting, lying, obfuscating, and delaying all attempts at investigation and Congressional oversight. History shows that the records will be uncovered. It is clear that Trump's taxes and financial records will answer questions that he doesn't want to be asked. What is he hiding?

(1) Mueller Report, Evidence, 1. The Appointment of the Special Counsel and the President’s Reaction.

(2) Trump Engaged in Suspect Tax Schemes as He ReapedRiches From His Father, NY Times, 10/2/2018, Barstow, Craig, & Buettner

(3) Trump sues to block Deutsche Bank from turning overinformation to Congress, DailyKos.com, 4/30/2019, Sumner

(4) A.G. SchneidermanStatement On Final Trump University Settlement, 4/9/2018

(5) Trump charity to dissolve under deal with N.Y. attorneygeneral, 12/18/2018

John L. Ferri