On Saturday, protestors from across the United States marched against President Donald Trump demanding that he release his tax returns as he had promised he would in the 2016 campaign. In response, Donald Trump took to Twitter once again, declaring that “I did what was an almost an impossible thing to do for a Republican – easily won the Electoral College!” Then he claimed that the protestors were paid and that someone should look into who was responsible.
Anti-Trump citizens and politicians have argued for months that Trump’s tax returns would reveal either his connections to corporations or foreign groups or reveal that he is not nearly as wealthy as the businessman advertises. Trump claimed that he could not release his taxes in the campaign because they were being audited, and now argues that the general public no longer cares about the issue.
Trump’s tweets follow a theme of claiming that he actually is popular despite poll numbers saying otherwise, and that the protestors are fake just like news against him are “fake news.” Surprisingly, he has currently not commented on protests in Berkeley where clashes between Trump supporters and opponents led to six hospital visits as well as 21 arrests. Sticks and pepper sprays were used in the fighting and police confiscated knives and stun guns.
Nationwide Protests
Despite the fighting in Berkley, the majority of the Tax Day protests were peaceful. Thousands of protestors filled the streets in the largest demonstrations since the Woman’s March in January. In Seattle, the Tax March combined with a Black Lives Matter march which railed against a discriminatory tax system and also called on Trump to release his returns.
While these demonstrations were nowhere near as large as the Woman’s March in Washington, the fact that so many came out just a few months after said march is a sign that the anti-Trump movement possesses staying power and there are many willing to come out and signal their opposition to his presidency. Trump has seemingly moderated himself as of late as analysts speculate whether he might depose extremist advisor Steve Bannon, but these protestors are making it clear that they will oppose him no matter what.
