White House: Trump given 45 more days to file financial disclosure

The White House said Thursday that President Trump was given 45 more days to file his annual financial disclosure, which had been due more than a week ago.

A White House official told The Hill in a statement that Trump had requested an extension for the report on his 2019 finances because it was “complicated” and he has “been focused on addressing the coronavirus crisis and other matters.” The official said Trump “intends to file as soon as possible.”

The report was initially due in May, but Trump and White House employees were given a 45-day extension until June 29 because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The June 29 deadline had passed without comment from the White House or the Office of Government Ethics until a report in The New York Times Wednesday night. Sources told The New York Times that the delay followed conversations between ethics officials and Trump representatives about a draft of the filing. 

The White House and the Trump Organization did not immediately respond to requests for comment. 

The financial disclosure, required by federal ethics rules, is the only public record of the president’s finances, as Trump has not released his tax returns during his presidency. The filing details a partial look at Trump’s assets, debts and the performances of his businesses. 

Previous filings have shown Trump having more than $1 billion in assets and hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue and debt.  

Trump’s attorneys have been fighting against releasing his tax records for state and congressional probes. The battles were subject to two Supreme Court decisions released on Thursday.

Vice President Pence released his report last week, including his disclosure of raising almost $500,000 for a legal defense fund to help pay bills relating to special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election.

This story was updated at 11:23 a.m.