Story highlights Trump said avoidance of paying taxes shows he's a successful businessman

Though he hasn't released his tax returns

Washington (CNN) When Hillary Clinton said that her Republican rival Donald Trump had paid no federal income tax in some years, Trump didn't deny it.

In fact, he said: "That makes me smart."

After the debate, he told CNN's Jim Acosta: "Of course I've paid federal taxes."

Clinton was pressing Trump for not releasing his tax returns for public scrutiny. Trump has said he won't release his tax returns until a routine audit is complete, though every major party presidential candidate over the past 40 years have released tax returns.

"There is something he is hiding," Clinton said of Trump during the debate.

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