Donald Trump said America's tax code is "broken," and because of his experience using it to his advantage in his business dealings, he knows how to fix it.

"Fixing our broken tax code is one of the main reasons I'm running for president," the Republican presidential nominee said during a campaign rally Monday in Pueblo, Colo.

"It is unfair and so complex that very few people understand it. Fortunately, I understand it."

Trump's comments came in the wake of a New York Times report over the weekend that claimed he lost nearly $1 billion in 1995, which might have allowed him to avoid paying taxes for 18 years.

The real estate mogul told the Colorado crowd the tax laws are not fair to Americans.

"The unfairness of the tax laws is unbelievable," he said. "It's something I've been talking about for a long time. Despite, frankly, being a big beneficiary of the laws, I'm working for you now. I'm not working for Trump. Believe me.

"I understand the tax laws better than almost anyone, which is why I am one who can truly fix them."

Trump said the real estate atmosphere of the early 1990s was worse than the recession of 2008 and "almost as bad as the Great Depression of 1929."

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said Monday that Trump's tax situation from the 1990s shows he has the knowledge to revamp the system and make it better for everyone.