Trump says the law is "100%" on his side in the battle for tax returns

President TrumpDonald John TrumpGroups asks the judge to suspend the construction of a border wall. Trump criticizes Barbara Bush: "Look what I did to her son" A man accused of throwing water balloons at Trump's crowd: "I did this that I had to do " On Friday, he said the law was "100%" on his side in a battle with the Democrats for the publication of his tax returns.

Trump, who has steadfastly refused to release his tax returns, citing an ongoing audit, expressed confidence that the law would justify his position after the Democratic Party of the House decided to get six years of personal and professional income tax returns.

"It's up to him," he told reporters as he left the White House for a visit to the southern border. "Hey, I'm under audit, but it depends on whoever, after what I understand, the law is 100% on my side."

It's not clear that the law will protect Trump from disclosure of his tax returns.

The IRS said the audits did not prevent people from disclosing their own tax information and that Democrats were trying to use a provision of the federal tax code that would give tax committee chairs the Congress has the power to request tax returns and information on returns and review them in camera.

The law states that the Secretary of the Treasury will "provide" the documents, to the extent that they will be examined in camera. But we do not know how quickly the IRS will respond and whether it will provide the chair of the House Ways and Means Committee. Richard NealRichard Edmund NealHouse, Republican responsible for the budget, says that Dems' request for Trump's tax returns is an attempt to "falsify" the tax code. & # 39; for tax return request PLUS (D-Mass.) With the documents.

Neal asked the IRS to provide the requested tax returns and related information by Wednesday. Democrats argue that the law leaves no room for the IRS to not comply with it and that their application is needed to monitor the IRS's enforcement of tax laws against a President.

But congressional Republicans have rejected the Democrats 'claim, arguing that it could weaken taxpayers' right to privacy, while adding that this claim was not for legitimate purposes and was only a few months away. 39, a pretext for taking it to Trump.

When asked on Thursday he would order the IRS not to disclose his statements, Trump said: "They will talk to my lawyers and the Attorney General."

treasury secretary Steven MnuchinSteven Terner MnuchinTrump will appoint a Treasury official to head the Small Business Administration Bipartite lawmakers call for sanctions against China for human rights reasons Retailers predict that the closure of the southern border would provoke "serious damage" MORE, one of Trump's most loyal cabinet members, will be at the center of the impending quarrel between Democrats and the White House.

Mnuchin said at a Ways and Means Committee hearing last month that the Treasury Department "would abide by the law and protect the president in the same way that we would protect any taxpayer by virtue of their rights." ".

The Treasury Department did not comment on Neal's tax return application.

Trump broke with decades of precedence during the 2016 campaign when he refused to disclose his tax documents. The president and White House officials have insisted that his taxes be audited so they can not be made public.

Democrats have claimed that Trump's tax returns could reveal potential conflicts of interest or inappropriate financial transactions. The efforts made by the party to obtain the documents constitute the latest example of investigation on the administration, the campaign and Trump's business.

Updated at 11:02