Trump Sues Niece, New York Times Over Tax Records

Former President Donald Trump filed a lawsuit against his niece Mary Trump and The New York Times. He also named three of the newspaper’s reporters, Susanne Craig, David Barstow, and Russell Buettner, as co-defendants. 

RELATED: Trump to Fight Moves to Turn Over Tax Records to Congress

Trump Sues New York Times And Niece Mary Trump

Trump filed the lawsuit over a 2018 story on his tax records. The former chief executive argued that the New York Times along with his niece “engaged in an insidious plot” to gain access to sensitive records. The group did so as they were “motivated by a personal vendetta” against him.  

Filed in New York’s Dutchess County, the complaint focused on the 2018 series published in the New York Times. The series of articles contained accounts of Trump’s confidential tax and financial records.

Until now, the former president continues to resist making these records public. Among the New York Times’ findings was that Trump earned at least $413 million from his father’s real estate business.

Allegedly, Trump made a series of financial maneuverings to dodge taxes for the wealth he amassed.  For their efforts, Craig, Barstow, and Buettner received the 2019 Pulitzer Prize for Explanatory Reporting. 

Mary Trump Violated Her Confidentiality Agreement

Meanwhile, Trump also accused his niece Mary of breaking a confidentiality agreement she signed in 2001. The complaint alleged that the younger Trump gave in to pressure from the New York Times to produce the former President’s tax documents. She “smuggled the records out of her attorney’s office,” and turned them over to the reporters. 

Trump said that the New York Times attempted to capitalize on their receipt of his confidential financial records. Mary Trump also attempted an ill-conceived effort” to profit from the same event by writing a book. She published a memoir, “Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World’s Most Dangerous Man.”

Earlier Efforts To Stop The Release of Records Failed

Trump and his lawyers tried to stop the release of Mary’s book last year by filing suit. Last year, a judge allowed the publication to continue. The judge said that the 2001 confidentiality agreement Mary signed contained many vague entries.

Meanwhile, the other defendant, publisher Simon, and Schuster is not a signatory to the confidentiality agreement. Therefore, the courts cannot compel the publisher to follow the cease and desist order. 

Despite the ruling, Trump never wavered in his belief. He said that his niece “committed a material breach of the Settlement Agreement” willingly. She did so by ”disclosing, assisting and/or providing confidential information to The Times.” 

100 Million Dollars Damages

In addition, Trump also said that the New York Times remained aware of Mary’s confidentiality agreement. However, that did not stop them from relentlessly seeking out Mary Trump.

In the end, the newspaper intentionally procured her breach of the agreement. For damages, the former president sought damages totaling “no less than One Hundred Million Dollars” from the defendants.  

Asked to comment on the lawsuit, Mary Trump told the Daily Beast that “I think he is a f—ing loser, and he is going to throw anything against the wall he can.” 

Watch the YouTube News video reporting that former President Donald Trump sues NY Times, his niece for uncovered tax documents:

Do you support the lawsuit filed by Trump against his niece and The New York Times over articles on his tax records? What do you think will be the end result of this lawsuit?

Share with us what you think about the matter of Trump’s tax records. Enter your comments below.