Can Donald Trump’s tax entanglements prevent him from being “great again”?

Once is not custom. Donald Trump is in the news again, for a legal case. Or more precisely, a financial matter, since it is here about paperwork frauds on the part of one of the biggest babies of the former president of the United States, the Trump Organization. To better understand what lies behind these “fraudulent” tax practices but also what this implies for Donald Trump’s political career, 20 Minutes asked three questions to Jean-Eric Branaa, lecturer at the University of Paris II, specializing in topics relating to society and politics in the United States. Be careful, the fall may surprise you!

What exactly is this investigation for tax evasion?

To put things in context, it is important to bear in mind that this case is aimed more at the taxpayer Trump than at the former Republican president. “Donald Trump’s company, the “Trump Organization”, is criticized for not having declared all of its dividends”, explains Jean-Eric Branaa. The Trump family, namely the father as well as his two children Ivanka and Donald Jr, would have tampered with the figures of the multinational, with a double objective: “both to get rich by obtaining loans on the basis of incomes higher than reality and, conversely, declaring fewer dividends to pay less tax,” says the academic. In short, the magna of finance would have played yoyo with his heritage and his income.

At the same time, the 45th President of the United States has always refused to issue his tax slips, during and after his term as President of the United States. “For Donald Trump, being president is equivalent to being king, but the American constitution does not hear it that way”, analyzes Jean-Eirc Branaa. And the representatives of this constitution, in this investigation are the New York State Attorney Laetitia James and Manhattan State Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. expert in American politics. The New York State prosecutor has also added a criminal component to her investigation, which until now was of a civil nature.

What is the risk of Donald Trump – and his children – in criminal terms?

“In reality, Donald Trump does not risk much, except a fine, ironically the lecturer. This is a case that has been going on for six years and given the slowness of the American judicial system and the scale of the fraud, it is likely to last for many more years. As a reminder, Donald Trump is 75 years old… In addition, and it’s the snake biting its tail, the former President of the United States has millions of dollars to defend himself from having stolen millions of dollars. “It has one of the most powerful defense systems in the United States”, explains Jean-Eric Branaa.

On the other hand, and this is the particularity of this case, Donald Trump’s children are younger but also very involved in this fraud: “If the prosecutor does not manage to bring down the father, she will not give up anything for the children. This is also the reason why Donald Trump is more embarrassed by this investigation. »

JUST POSTED: The Trump Organization has been added back to the the Trump inauguration scandal lawsuit that alleges $1 million in Trump grift. And @IvankaTrump & @DonaldJTrumpJr could end up on the witness stand. Please read my latest & RT. https://t.co/W27SA2j6pe

— David Corn (@DavidCornDC) February 16, 2022

The other protagonist of this story, which both risks heavy penalties and also being Donald Trump’s designated scapegoat, is the Mazars firm. This accounting firm which was in charge of the financial affairs of the businessman has just resigned from the Trump Organization. The reason ? The firm considers that the company’s submissions were not sincere. “But why didn’t you say anything for ten years?, questions Jean-Eric Branaa. Mazars is simply the business in the business and Donald Trump risks heavily burdening his former accounting firm to clear customs.

What is Donald Trump – and nothing but Trump – risking politically?

Well, if Mazars and the Trump children take on themselves the fine and maybe even prison, Donald Trump may well retire from politics, right? “Absolutely not!” replies the expert. Trump has some sort of magical immunity card that allows him to say and do whatever he wants, without consequences. “For Jean-Eric Branaa, this superpower comes to him first of all from his electorate:” Donald Trump does not have voters, he has fans. An unwavering support that never, or almost never, questions his word. “In turn, the elected officials will do him no harm. Its weight and its ability to cause harm are far too great in the United States”, specifies the expert at 20 Minutes.

Anyone who has never hid from considering the possibility of running for a second term would therefore not be more frightened than that by a new trial. “Throughout his life, Donald Trump has lived through nearly 600 trials and cases. This absolutely did not prevent him from advancing in politics, until becoming President of the United States, ”concludes Jean-Eric Branaa. Trial or no trial, obviously nothing will prevent Donald Trump from being great again.