Democrats will be able to make Trump's tax returns public if they take back Congress. Here's how.

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October 15, 2018 9:31 PM

Taking back the House would allow Democrats, using their newfound control of the Ways and Means Committee, to review the tax returns and decide whether or not to release them.

Certain committees in Congress have the authority to request President Trump's tax returns for review and can then vote to make them public.
Republicans have so far blocked efforts by Democrats to utilize the procedural tool.
If Democrats retake the House majority, they can move forward with getting Trump's tax returns with newfound power in the Ways and Means Committee.

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump has not publicly released his tax returns and has no plans on ever doing so. But whether he wants to might not matter at all if Democrats take back the majority in the House of Representatives.

Three committees in Congress already have the authority to take a peek at Trump's — or any president's — tax returns in a closed session: The Senate Finance Committee, the Joint Committee on Taxation, and the House Committee on Ways and Means.

They can then vote to make the returns public.

While the JCT is a nonpartisan committee operated by experienced economists and the Democrats' chances of taking back the Senate are looking relatively slim, the House looks more likely to be changing hands come January, according to recent polling.