President-Elect Donald Trump has made boasting about the breadth of his massive business empire a hallmark of his campaign. It was one of the most frequently cited qualifications of his quest for the presidency. His alleged business acumen and worldwide holdings was presented as proof that he could “Make America Great Again.” Never mind that a true account of his past is replete with failures and bankruptcies.
In addition to bragging about his vast “wealth,” Trump exploited the complexity of his finances to avoid releasing his taxes. No presidential candidate has gotten away with such a refusal in over fifty years. In Trump’s case, this information is critical to understanding the myriad conflicts of interest he will face as president. Even more troubling is the recent discovery of Russia’s involvement in hacking during the election to boost Trump’s prospects. Without more detailed knowledge of his corporate connections it’s difficult to know how Trump himself might have been involved.
Two weeks ago Trump promised to hold a press conference to lay out exactly how he would mitigate even the appearance of impropriety. That event was abruptly canceled without explanation. His campaign issued a vague statement that it would be rescheduled for sometime in January. Of course, based on his track record, I wouldn’t bet the house on it.
Now Trump has responded to the bipartisan criticism he’s received for failing to come clean. Naturally, his response came in the form of an utterly substanceless tweet:
The media tries so hard to make my move to the White House, as it pertains to my business, so complex – when actually it isn't!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 15, 2016
Well then … Now Trump’s businesses are suddenly a simple matter to understand. It’s the media that has built them up into monstrous complexities that no one short of his brilliance can grasp. The first question this raises is pretty obvious. If it’s so simple, why doesn’t he just explain it and get it out of the way? He could hold a brief press conference and satisfy everyone in a matter of minutes. Surely, if he has time to meet with Kanye West, he has time for this far more important obligation. Or are the American people a lower priority than Mr, Kardashian?
The problem with his tweet is that the Trump campaign has already contradicted it. His staff has guided the media to an entirely different set of excuses:
Sean Spicer: “He realized, talking to lawyers and accountants, it was going to take a little bit more time.”
Jason Miller: “I think one of the important things to keep in mind is for someone who’s been so successful, who has so many different deals, so many properties and so many different investments, it takes a while to move that along. […] It’s complicated to get that done right.”
Even this guy:
Trump: “I have one of the world’s most complicated tax returns. It’s a massive return.”
So The Donald wants it both ways. His business practices are so complicated that they can’t be compiled and divulged in an expeditious manner. At the same time, they aren’t really “so complex” after all. It’s just the media distorting the truth. And while Trump seeks to keep everyone confused, his financial corruption and treasonous affairs with Russia get pushed aside. It’s a dangerous game and he shouldn’t be allowed to get away with it. That much is indeed simple to understand. Even for the media.
How Fox News Deceives and Controls Their Flock:
Fox Nation vs. Reality: The Fox News Cult of Ignorance.
Available now at Amazon.
This arrogant, daddy-rich, draft dodging, womanizing, cheating, stealing asshole is the scum of the Earth. Impeach.
get the fuck out of America already you whiny little bitch!!ha ha ha ,you can sure COMPLAIN hard.I would pay to see what kind of a beating you would get if you were to come up to Canada here and spout your hatred for someone who IS in charge.Its one thing disagreeing with someone in charge ,its another to spout off like you lefties choose to do
Which descriptor do you disagree with – of course, they are all accurate, so pound sand.
Translate Moronikan into English: No, it still comes out drivel.
Hey, Randy? What we are seeing is a creature doing ANYTHING to AVOID being in charge. I don’t know where you get your delusions, but you really should avoid taking whatever it is during the day. It clearly affects your intelligence capacity…
Complain. That’s all I hear when I go to Stoney Creek, Ontario. To train you Canadian hosers how to use new equipment. The cold air must slow down the thought process.
And then what? Pence?
He can go too. Then, a special election so Bernie and Liz can truly make America well.
I’m sure his 2015 return will do for a start. Duh.
And in January, we’ll get yet another excuse. That is what happened regarding his tax returns, right? You know, the tax returns he wasn’t going to release anyway?
It is really amazing to me that he engenders such support; people who will say anything to excuse anything questionable. The same people, of course, who will never accept ANY excuse when it comes from a Democrat.
Yup.
Bring it on asshole. You can join some VC and NVA who tried to fuck with me.
Trumpzilla is right, his business dealings are not complex. He has contractors, and laborers do the work, and then he doesn’t pay them. How much simpler can it get.