Trump allowed to keep tax returns private

President Donald Trump has won a US court's approval for keeping his tax returns out of the public eye, breaking with the practice of previous office-holders.

Donald Trump.

Donald Trump. Source: AAP

A US federal judge has handed President Donald Trump a victory in his effort to keep his financial information secret, siding with his campaign's effort to block a California law aimed at forcing him to release his tax returns.

The ruling by US District Judge Morrison England Jr comes as the president faces multiple Democratic-led efforts to force him to reveal his tax returns.

Also on Thursday, Mr Trump sued to block New York prosecutors from their push to obtain the returns as part of a criminal investigation.
Mr Trump has bucked decades of precedent by refusing to release them, arguing they are under audit.

England, an appointee of former Republican President George W Bush, plans to issue a written ruling by 1 October, and California is expected to appeal.

The law signed by Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom in July says candidates for president must release five years of tax returns by November to run in the California primary, which is scheduled for March 2020.

Lawyers for Mr Trump and the Republican Party argued the law violates the US Constitution by adding an additional requirement to run for president.


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