Donald Trump releases tax records

The Manhattan district attorney obtained the returns after the Supreme Court rejected a last-ditch bid to block their release.

Donald Trump at the rally before his supporters stormed the US Capitol. Picture: AFP

New York prosecutors investigating former president Donald Trump’s finances have received his tax returns ­following a marathon legal battle.

“Our office obtained the records on Monday,” said a spokesman for Manhattan ­District Attorney Cyrus Vance.

Mr Vance’s office obtained the returns after the Supreme Court rejected on Tuesday AEDT a last-ditch bid by Mr Trump’s lawyers to block the release of the records.

The prosecutor is investigating hush payments made to two women who allege they had affairs with Trump and possible fraud. Mr Vance, a Democrat, fought for over a year to obtain the eight years of returns from Mr Trump’s accountants Mazars.

He issued a subpoena to the firm in August 2019 ordering them to furnish documents stretching back to 2011.

But Mr Trump’s lawyers fought bitterly to block the subpoena. In July, the Supreme Court rejected their argument that as a sitting president Trump was immune from prosecution.

His lawyers then challenged the scope of the requested documents, saying it was too broad.

AFP