Fox News Host Confronts GOP Rep. Over Opposing Trump Tax Return Release

A Fox News host confronted Representative Kevin Brady on Sunday over his opposition to releasing former President Donald Trump's tax returns.

The Democratic-controlled House Ways and Means Committee on Friday publicly released Trump's long sought-after tax returns following years of legal battles and staunch opposition from Republicans. Democrats have maintained the release was part of a broader probe into the Internal Revenue Service's (IRS) presidential audit, but Republicans have accused them of releasing the tax returns for political reasons.

Brady, a retiring Texas Republican who serves as the committee's ranking member, has been one of the GOP members of Congress who has vocally opposed releasing Trump's tax returns.

During an appearance on Fox News Sunday, Brady was confronted about his opposition.

"As you well know sir, it has been this tradition in American politics dating back to the late '60s. The president voluntarily—or candidates—release their tax returns. Why is it that President Trump, in your estimation, should be an exception to history?" asked Gillian Turner, a correspondent who filled in for Shannon Bream.

Brady responded by pointing out that there is no law that dictates the president must release his tax returns, and that his opposition to releasing them is not about whether Trump should publicly release them on his own.

"This is a dangerous new precedent. It overturns 50 years of protections for American taxpayers that began in the Watergate era. Now that's all changed," Brady added.

The released tax returns span the years of 2015, when Trump first announced his presidential bid, to 2020, the year he lost reelection to Joe Biden. The returns indicate that Trump's income greatly fluctuated from year-to-year during his presidential tenure, and that he paid only $750 in federal income taxes some years.

Brady added the decision will give the Ways and Means, or Senate Finance Committee, chairs "nearly unlimited power" to target private citizens to "seize their tax returns and make them public."

"The enemies list is on it, and you may very well find yourself on it," he said.

Turner also asked Brady about Trump saying he would release his tax returns if he was not under audit, despite the committee finding the IRS did not begin its mandatory audit until April 3, 2019, the same day the committee asked for information related to the tax returns, according to the Associated Press.

Brady said the tax returns show that the IRS is still auditing the returns released by the committee. However, Turner pushed back on the GOP lawmaker's statement.

"As far as we know, he was under audit from 2009 to 2013. He told the American people he was under audit while he was running for office," Turner said.

Brady responded: "All of those six years that have been released are still under audit. The truth of the matter is it isn't about whether he should release it or not. It's about whether Americans should be targeted by members of Congress for political purposes."

A Fox News spokesperson declined to add further comment. Newsweek also reached out to Brady's office for comment.

Update 1/2/2023, 1:37 p.m. ET: This story was updated with a clarification of Representative Kevin Brady's remarks when he said the IRS is still auditing the Trump tax returns released by the House Ways and Means Committee.