Trump: My $421M in Debt Is a ‘Very Small Amount of Money’
“I don't owe money to any sinister people,” Trump insisted.

Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty
At a town hall event on NBC on Thursday evening, President Donald Trump downplayed the $421 million that he owes his creditors calling it a “very small amount of money.” Asked about recent New York Times reports based on leaked tax information detailing those finances, Trump sought to portray his financial situation as completely unremarkable. “I have a very, very small percentage of debt compared—in fact, some of it I did as favors to institutions that wanted to loan me money.” Since the Times published its exposes on Trump’s finances, experts have raised concerns that the president’s sizable debts could constitute a national security threat. The president dismissed those concerns on Thursday. “I don't owe money to any sinister people,” Trump insisted. He appeared to say that he “probably” owes money to a foreign bank but his quote was mangled. Trump also intimated that those responsible for the publication of his tax information should be prosecuted. “If they have my tax returns, as you know, they have to go to jail,” he said. “It's illegal.”
Unlock a year of full access to The Looker and The Daily Beast for $35.
Monthly
$1
First month then $5.99/month
Annual
$35
First year then $59.99/year
Premium
$79
First year then $119.99/year
*Substack access provided by the next business day, using your subscription email. Choosing the Premium plan constitutes your permission to share your subscription email with Substack and your agreement to Substack’s Privacy Policy.
Looks like you already have a subscription!
You're all set!
Thanks for subscribing.
Register below to read this article for free or subscribe
to unlock unlimited access to The Looker and The Daily Beast.
Monthly
$1
First month then $5.99/month
Annual
$35
First year then $59.99/year
Premium
$79
First year then $119.99/year
*Substack access provided by the next business day, using your subscription email. Choosing the Premium plan constitutes your permission to share your subscription email with Substack and your agreement to Substack’s Privacy Policy.
Already have an account? Sign In
Looks like you already have a subscription!
You're all set!
Thanks for subscribing.
Sign in
Login dialog
