Trump lawyer: Advising release of tax returns would be ‘malpractice’

Donald Trump is not releasing his tax returns until his audits are completed, his special counsel said Thursday. In fact, he said, advising Trump to do so would be “malpractice.”

“I personally will not allow him to release those tax returns until the audits are over,” Michael Cohen, Trump’s special counsel, told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer. “There is not a lawyer on this planet that should give that advice — any advice other than what I just gave — to their client short of suffering malpractice.”


Democrats — and even some Republicans — have repeatedly challenged Trump to release his tax returns. A source close to Hillary Clinton said the Democratic presidential nominee intends to release her 2015 tax returns “in the coming days,” a move to ramp up pressure on Trump.

Clinton’s running mate, Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine, and his wife are also expected to release tax returns for the past decade, the source said.

Trump has wavered on whether he will release his tax returns before the November election, insisting that it’s not wise for him to do so while he’s under what he’s framed as a routine IRS audit. Cohen, however, suggested Trump won’t be releasing any earlier tax returns, either — at least, not until the audit concludes.

“Wolf, I would give absolutely nothing until the audit is over,” Cohen said. “That’s my advice to Mr. Trump.”