Choose offers Trump time to problem tax return disclosure to Congress

President Donald Trump arrives for a photocall with sheriffs from across the country on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington.

Erin Scott | Reuters

WASHINGTON – A federal judge is giving former President Donald Trump time to challenge a Justice Department order that the IRS must file its income tax returns to Congress.

U.S. District Court Justice for the District of Columbia, Trevor McFadden, said Trump and his attorneys had until Wednesday to respond.

Neither Trump nor his lawyers have said whether they will challenge Friday’s order.

On Friday, the Justice Department announced that the former president’s tax returns must be passed by the IRS to Congress, a reversal of his position during the Trump administration.

The DOJ’s Office of Legal Counsel said in a 39-page statement that the Democrat-led House Ways and Means Committee had filed a request to inspect Trump’s tax returns with a legitimate legislative purpose, with the stated aim of granting How the IRS assesses the presidents of tax returns.

Trump’s lawyers did not immediately respond to CNBC’s request for comment.

Friday’s ruling came more than a year after the US Supreme Court ruled that Trump’s tax returns had to be turned over to Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. by his longtime accountants on a criminal investigation subpoena.

In July, the Trump organization and its chief financial officer, Allen Weisselberg, were indicted by Vance on crimes related to a “comprehensive and bold” plan since 2005 to avoid paying compensation taxes.

Trump, who broke decades of precedent set by candidates and former presidents by refusing to publish his income tax returns, repeatedly said his filings would be scrutinized by the IRS.

However, taxpayers are allowed to publish their tax returns publicly during the audit.