House Democrats ask IRS to provide Trump’s tax returns

WASHINGTON (AP) – A new battle is brewing between President Donald Trump and House Democrats, this time over the president’s tax returns.

A House committee chairman has asked the IRS to provide six years of Trump’s tax returns and returns for some of his businesses. Democrats defend the request as part of Congress’ oversight duties, but Republicans say there are privacy concerns and accuse Democrats of “weaponizing” the tax code by targeting political foes.

As for Trump, the president says he’s not inclined to go along with the request. During the 2016 campaign, Trump broke with decades of tradition by refusing to release his income tax filings. Over the years he has explained his refusal by saying he’s being audited and that his returns are too complex for people to understand them.