SHITLER's m.o. is doing (almost) everything in plain sight. When we finally find out, it's what we've known all along, big let down.
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1) Trump's not as rich as he says: There's very little question that Trump overstates his personal wealth -- and has done so for as long as he has had personal wealth. He's said he's worth $10 billion; Forbes said in 2018 that number is closer to $3 billion. For Trump to be exposed as one-third as rich as he had said he is would be embarrassing, sure. But remember, too, that Trump equates wealth directly with success and importance. So being exposed as less rich would be a blow to his success narrative as well.
2) He has Russia ties: While the Mueller report made clear that neither Trump nor anyone in his campaign orbit colluded with the Russians to help Trump win the 2016 election (sic), it would still be a very big story if Trump's tax returns showed he had extensive financial dealings and ties to Russia. We know, from Michael Cohen, that Trump and his family were deeply involved in the potential construction of Trump Tower Moscow and that Cohen lied about that involvement (and how long it stretched) to protect Trump. We also know that Donald Trump Jr. said this at a 2008 real estate conference: "In terms of high-end product influx into the US, Russians make up a pretty disproportionate cross-section of a lot of our assets. Say, in Dubai, and certainly with our project in SoHo, and anywhere in New York. We see a lot of money pouring in from Russia."
3) He didn't pay many (or any) taxes: We know -- because Trump admitted as much -- that he used a more than $900 million net operating loss for his business in 1995 to avoid paying personal income taxes for a number of subsequent years. How? This, from The New York Times, explains it:
"Known as net operating loss, it allows an array of deductions, business expenses, real estate depreciation, losses from the sale of business assets and even operating losses to flow from the balance sheets of those partnerships, limited liability companies and S corporations onto the personal tax returns of people like Mr. Trump. In turn, those losses can be used to cancel out an equivalent amount of taxable income."
As the Times noted, Trump's $916 million loss in 1995 could have allowed him to pay $0 in personal income taxes for the next 18 years.
4) He donates no (or very little) money to charity: We know, thanks to the amazing reporting of the Washington Post's David Fahrenthold, that Trump long used his charitable organization to feather his own nest and collect political chits rather than for any philanthropic purposes. (Trump shut down the charity in 2018.) It's not at all clear how generous (if at all) Trump has been to other charities over the past few decades. While there is no requirement for wealthy individuals to make large charitable donations, many do. And Trump has often boasted about the depth and breadth of his charitable giving.
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