據《紐約時報》9月27號晚間報道,特朗普在2016年和2017年,即其大選之年以及入主白宮的第一年,分別都只支付了750美元的聯邦所得稅。更“爆炸”的是,報道同時還指出特朗普在2000年之后的15年間,有十年完全沒有繳納聯邦稅。
如此看來,盡管特朗普在這幾年間無時無刻不在鼓吹自己的財富及成功,并堅決向國稅局聲明自己沒有欠稅,但其中孰真孰假,仍然值得商榷。
特朗普團隊的一名律師反駁《紐約時報》記者稱,“這種說法不夠準確”。
根據他的說法,“特朗普已經向聯邦政府繳納了數千萬美元的個人所得稅?!碧乩势毡救朔矫?,則直接將這則報道定義為“假新聞”。
但《紐約時報》并不認可特朗普的說法,表示記者已就所有可獲取的公開及保密信息進行了核實,與特朗普有關的所有稅收信息都具有“合法的信息來源”。
“特朗普手中的主要生意一直在虧,不管是他旗下不計其數的高爾夫球場,還是他在華盛頓的酒店,每年就算不虧個幾千萬美元,至少也得有幾百萬美元?!薄都~約時報》的記者拉斯?比特納、蘇珊?克雷格及邁克?麥金太爾透露道。
事實上,特朗普在早期曾經通過做真人秀節(jié)目《學徒》撈過一筆,但這些年他的積蓄也漸漸花光了,還賣掉了手中幾乎全部的股票,因而也就無力繼續(xù)填補自己房地產市場的虧空。
據《紐約時報》報道,特朗普目前手中還有高達4.21億美元的欠條,其中大部分將在未來四年到期。換而言之,如果特朗普繼續(xù)連任,他的債主就會陷入前所未有的尷尬境地,更需要思考——要不要對一個在位總統(tǒng)追債?
除此以外,該篇報道還有很多有關特朗普的其他爆料。它指出特朗普在錄制《學徒》期間曾經將7萬多美元的“美發(fā)費用”移為“營銷支出”進行上報報銷。不過,縱觀全文,最令人瞠目結舌的結論其實是:特朗普壓根算不上是一個好商人。
當然,這個發(fā)現并不是什么新鮮事。早在特朗普入主白宮之前,《財富》雜志發(fā)布過的兩篇經典故事就曾經揭露過特朗普本人和其公眾形象之間的差距。
在2000年4月3日發(fā)布的《唐納德?特朗普想要的到底是什么》一文中,作者杰里?尤瑟姆就把讀者帶入到了特朗普夸夸其談下的高杠桿商業(yè)世界——在那里,哪怕大西洋賭城的生意再好,特朗普一樣可以把自己拖入債務危機之中。
當年尤瑟姆此文發(fā)布之時,特朗普的賭場已經欠下了18億美元的高收益?zhèn)鶆?,而其賬面上的2.16億美元不過是杯水車薪而已。
20世紀末21世紀初本該是房地產行業(yè)最為繁榮的時期,然而在1999年,特朗普的賭場不僅不能盈利,還報虧了1.34億美元,其標普債券評級也由“垃圾股”變?yōu)榱恕案睦伞薄?/p>
這篇寫于20年前的文章所描述的現象,在今天看來也毫不違和,就像兩天前剛寫的那樣。
尤瑟姆曾經在雜志上寫道:“然而最令人不安的是,特朗普傾向于用他賭場公司的公款中飽私囊。這筆錢包括但不限于他每年從該公司賺得的500萬美元年金,以及他私人的727飛機飛行員也在賭場公司的工資單上……或許還包括,他讓這家已然陷入資金紓困的公司借給他2600萬美元,用來償還他以個人名義向投資公司Donaldson Lufkin&Jenrette所借的貸款?!?/p>
特朗普則憤怒地向《財富》雜志否認了這一點:他沒有任何不當行為,并發(fā)誓要還清債務。但許多了解他的人還是心存質疑。
尤瑟姆在2000年就寫過:“有幾位與特朗普關系密切的人,或對他表示同情的人告訴我,他不適合經營一家上市公司。鑒于特朗普公司股價低迷的部分原因是華爾街對他本人走紅的過敏反應(分析師稱之為‘唐納德因素’),一個顯而易見的解決方案就是,特朗普自覺離開管理層。一位行業(yè)高管估計,僅此一步就能夠讓股價上漲30%?!?/p>
然而,與特朗普永遠不太穩(wěn)定的商業(yè)帝國相比,更令人震驚的是,他一直對世人視他為“不靠譜的商人”耿耿于懷,心有不安。特朗普在與尤瑟姆的電話交談中表示,如果《財富》雜志要“說他的現金流有什么不好”,他將“把這家雜志告得傾家蕩產”。
四年后,作家丹尼爾?羅斯在記述特朗普的作品《戰(zhàn)利品生活》中對他做了精彩的刻畫,重新審視了特朗普這種對自我形象的迷戀。該作品也登上了2004年4月19日版《財富》雜志的封面。
特朗普是一個貨真價實的紐約房地產大亨之子。羅斯寫道:“他出資締造了一個建筑帝國,擁有一眾酒店和賭場,一支由道格?弗魯蒂領導的美國橄欖球隊、一艘284英尺長的游艇(由諷刺特朗普的漫畫《杜恩斯伯里》中提到的角色‘杜克’掌控)和一家航空公司。而這些資產大都來自銀行的巨額貸款,他用來抵押擔保的只是個人名義——他甚至說服銀行通過換取他公司股權的方式貸款給他?!?/p>
“當20世紀90年代初的經濟衰退襲來時,特朗普開始拖欠貸款,他發(fā)現自己有近10億美元的債務,都是他以個人名義擔保的。他與銀行達成了交易,出售他的資產,還上了一部分。作為回報,銀行則不對外宣稱他個人的破產狀況。當時的報道稱,銀行每月向特朗普提供45萬美元的津貼。他卻予以否認:‘說實話,這對銀行來說不是很糟糕的公關嗎?’”
特朗普的“個人名義”是否如他所說,值數十億美元?還是只值其中的一小部分?羅斯寫道,《財富》雜志想要深挖特朗普財務狀況的努力“除了一點模棱兩可的東西,什么都發(fā)現不了:他們可以看到的只是一系列公司和合作伙伴的名字,而所有的交易都深藏其中,要知道他負不負債,取決于能不能親自與特朗普交談?!?/p>
13年后重新回顧這段往事,已經是LinkedIn執(zhí)行總編的羅斯告訴科技網站Recode的記者彼得?卡夫卡,特朗普“非常在意這一點,即努力讓人意識到他是一個成功的商人。” 2004年,羅斯創(chuàng)作的《學徒》成為美國最有影響力的真人秀節(jié)目。
“節(jié)目中展示的是一位非常成功的人,他竭力確保作為記者的我能夠意識到他的成功,一遍又一遍地向我展示有關他的高爾夫球場的文章?!?/p>
羅斯說:“我此前從未有過這樣的經歷,即有人如此渴望讓我知道,他們是多么重要,其他人也認為他們是多么成功?!保ㄘ敻恢形木W)
編譯:陳怡軒、陳聰聰
編輯:徐曉彤
據《紐約時報》9月27號晚間報道,特朗普在2016年和2017年,即其大選之年以及入主白宮的第一年,分別都只支付了750美元的聯邦所得稅。更“爆炸”的是,報道同時還指出特朗普在2000年之后的15年間,有十年完全沒有繳納聯邦稅。
如此看來,盡管特朗普在這幾年間無時無刻不在鼓吹自己的財富及成功,并堅決向國稅局聲明自己沒有欠稅,但其中孰真孰假,仍然值得商榷。
特朗普團隊的一名律師反駁《紐約時報》記者稱,“這種說法不夠準確”。
根據他的說法,“特朗普已經向聯邦政府繳納了數千萬美元的個人所得稅?!碧乩势毡救朔矫妫瑒t直接將這則報道定義為“假新聞”。
但《紐約時報》并不認可特朗普的說法,表示記者已就所有可獲取的公開及保密信息進行了核實,與特朗普有關的所有稅收信息都具有“合法的信息來源”。
“特朗普手中的主要生意一直在虧,不管是他旗下不計其數的高爾夫球場,還是他在華盛頓的酒店,每年就算不虧個幾千萬美元,至少也得有幾百萬美元。”《紐約時報》的記者拉斯?比特納、蘇珊?克雷格及邁克?麥金太爾透露道。
事實上,特朗普在早期曾經通過做真人秀節(jié)目《學徒》撈過一筆,但這些年他的積蓄也漸漸花光了,還賣掉了手中幾乎全部的股票,因而也就無力繼續(xù)填補自己房地產市場的虧空。
據《紐約時報》報道,特朗普目前手中還有高達4.21億美元的欠條,其中大部分將在未來四年到期。換而言之,如果特朗普繼續(xù)連任,他的債主就會陷入前所未有的尷尬境地,更需要思考——要不要對一個在位總統(tǒng)追債?
除此以外,該篇報道還有很多有關特朗普的其他爆料。它指出特朗普在錄制《學徒》期間曾經將7萬多美元的“美發(fā)費用”移為“營銷支出”進行上報報銷。不過,縱觀全文,最令人瞠目結舌的結論其實是:特朗普壓根算不上是一個好商人。
當然,這個發(fā)現并不是什么新鮮事。早在特朗普入主白宮之前,《財富》雜志發(fā)布過的兩篇經典故事就曾經揭露過特朗普本人和其公眾形象之間的差距。
在2000年4月3日發(fā)布的《唐納德?特朗普想要的到底是什么》一文中,作者杰里?尤瑟姆就把讀者帶入到了特朗普夸夸其談下的高杠桿商業(yè)世界——在那里,哪怕大西洋賭城的生意再好,特朗普一樣可以把自己拖入債務危機之中。
當年尤瑟姆此文發(fā)布之時,特朗普的賭場已經欠下了18億美元的高收益?zhèn)鶆?,而其賬面上的2.16億美元不過是杯水車薪而已。
20世紀末21世紀初本該是房地產行業(yè)最為繁榮的時期,然而在1999年,特朗普的賭場不僅不能盈利,還報虧了1.34億美元,其標普債券評級也由“垃圾股”變?yōu)榱恕案睦伞薄?/p>
這篇寫于20年前的文章所描述的現象,在今天看來也毫不違和,就像兩天前剛寫的那樣。
尤瑟姆曾經在雜志上寫道:“然而最令人不安的是,特朗普傾向于用他賭場公司的公款中飽私囊。這筆錢包括但不限于他每年從該公司賺得的500萬美元年金,以及他私人的727飛機飛行員也在賭場公司的工資單上……或許還包括,他讓這家已然陷入資金紓困的公司借給他2600萬美元,用來償還他以個人名義向投資公司Donaldson Lufkin&Jenrette所借的貸款?!?/p>
特朗普則憤怒地向《財富》雜志否認了這一點:他沒有任何不當行為,并發(fā)誓要還清債務。但許多了解他的人還是心存質疑。
尤瑟姆在2000年就寫過:“有幾位與特朗普關系密切的人,或對他表示同情的人告訴我,他不適合經營一家上市公司。鑒于特朗普公司股價低迷的部分原因是華爾街對他本人走紅的過敏反應(分析師稱之為‘唐納德因素’),一個顯而易見的解決方案就是,特朗普自覺離開管理層。一位行業(yè)高管估計,僅此一步就能夠讓股價上漲30%?!?/p>
然而,與特朗普永遠不太穩(wěn)定的商業(yè)帝國相比,更令人震驚的是,他一直對世人視他為“不靠譜的商人”耿耿于懷,心有不安。特朗普在與尤瑟姆的電話交談中表示,如果《財富》雜志要“說他的現金流有什么不好”,他將“把這家雜志告得傾家蕩產”。
四年后,作家丹尼爾?羅斯在記述特朗普的作品《戰(zhàn)利品生活》中對他做了精彩的刻畫,重新審視了特朗普這種對自我形象的迷戀。該作品也登上了2004年4月19日版《財富》雜志的封面。
特朗普是一個貨真價實的紐約房地產大亨之子。羅斯寫道:“他出資締造了一個建筑帝國,擁有一眾酒店和賭場,一支由道格?弗魯蒂領導的美國橄欖球隊、一艘284英尺長的游艇(由諷刺特朗普的漫畫《杜恩斯伯里》中提到的角色‘杜克’掌控)和一家航空公司。而這些資產大都來自銀行的巨額貸款,他用來抵押擔保的只是個人名義——他甚至說服銀行通過換取他公司股權的方式貸款給他?!?/p>
“當20世紀90年代初的經濟衰退襲來時,特朗普開始拖欠貸款,他發(fā)現自己有近10億美元的債務,都是他以個人名義擔保的。他與銀行達成了交易,出售他的資產,還上了一部分。作為回報,銀行則不對外宣稱他個人的破產狀況。當時的報道稱,銀行每月向特朗普提供45萬美元的津貼。他卻予以否認:‘說實話,這對銀行來說不是很糟糕的公關嗎?’”
特朗普的“個人名義”是否如他所說,值數十億美元?還是只值其中的一小部分?羅斯寫道,《財富》雜志想要深挖特朗普財務狀況的努力“除了一點模棱兩可的東西,什么都發(fā)現不了:他們可以看到的只是一系列公司和合作伙伴的名字,而所有的交易都深藏其中,要知道他負不負債,取決于能不能親自與特朗普交談。”
13年后重新回顧這段往事,已經是LinkedIn執(zhí)行總編的羅斯告訴科技網站Recode的記者彼得?卡夫卡,特朗普“非常在意這一點,即努力讓人意識到他是一個成功的商人?!?2004年,羅斯創(chuàng)作的《學徒》成為美國最有影響力的真人秀節(jié)目。
“節(jié)目中展示的是一位非常成功的人,他竭力確保作為記者的我能夠意識到他的成功,一遍又一遍地向我展示有關他的高爾夫球場的文章?!?/p>
羅斯說:“我此前從未有過這樣的經歷,即有人如此渴望讓我知道,他們是多么重要,其他人也認為他們是多么成功?!保ㄘ敻恢形木W)
編譯:陳怡軒、陳聰聰
編輯:徐曉彤
The New York Times’s blockbuster report on President Trump’s taxes, published September 27 evening, offers no shortage of revelations: Trump, according to the Times, paid just $750 in federal income tax in 2016, the year he was elected President—and paid the same paltry sum in 2017, his first year in the White House. In the decade and a half leading up to then, the New York real estate mogul, who boasted endlessly of his wealth and deal-making prowess, incurred so many millions of dollars in personal losses—as per his own sworn declarations to the IRS—that he “owed” nothing in income taxes in 10 of those years. He reportedly paid nothing, too.
A lawyer for the Trump Organization told the Times that its reporters’ claims “appear to be inaccurate” and asserted that “over the past decade, President Trump has paid tens of millions of dollars in personal taxes to the federal government.” The President, for his part, called the newspaper’s report “FAKE NEWS.”
The Times, which said it verified its account with both publicly available and confidential sources, noted that all of the President’s tax data “was provided by sources with legal access to it.”
“Most of Mr. Trump’s core enterprises—from his constellation of golf courses to his conservative-magnet hotel in Washington—report losing millions, if not tens of millions, of dollars year after year,” said the newspaper’s Russ Buettner, Susanne Craig and Mike McIntire. Mr. Trump’s “revenue from ‘The Apprentice’ and from licensing deals is drying up, and several years ago he sold nearly all the stocks that now might have helped him plug holes in his struggling properties.”
Indeed, it would appear he is personally on the hook for $421 million in IOUs, with most of that coming due over the next four years, said the Times’s reporters. All of which means: “Should he win re-election, his lenders could be placed in the unprecedented position of weighing whether to foreclose on a sitting president.”
Yes, there are plenty of eye-poppers in the Times’s reportage—including, for instance, that Mr. Trump seems to have claimed more than $70,000 in “business expenses” for hair styling during his stint on “The Apprentice” television show. But perhaps the most salient takeaway is simply this: If Mr. Trump’s own declarations to the IRS are to be believed, then he isn’t much of a businessman.
That revelation, of course, isn’t new at all. In fact, two classic Fortune stories, written a generation ago, memorably captured this awkward incongruence in Mr. Trump’s public persona, long before his run for the White House.
In “What Does Donald Trump Really Want?,” writer Jerry Useem took readers into a frenzied three-ring circus of bombast and leverage—where, somehow, even a thriving Atlantic City casino business could be nearly drowning in debt. When Useem’s story was published in the April 3, 2000 edition of Fortune, Trump’s casino company was awash in $1.8 billion in high-yield debt—the servicing of which gobbled up $216 million of cash flow. In a business where “the house always wins,” Trump’s casino company lost $134 million in 1999 (after special items and depreciation—a theme in the New York Times’ story, too), forcing S&P to lower it bond rating “from junk to junkier,” said Useem, who is now a contributing writer at The Atlantic.
“But most disquieting,” wrote Useem—in a magazine yarn that feels like it was written two days, not two decades, ago—was “Trump’s tendency to use the casino company as his own personal piggy bank. It’s not just the $5 million bonus he drew one year, or the fact that the pilots of his personal 727 are on the casino company’s payroll…[or that] he had the already cash-strapped company lend him $26 million to pay off a personal loan from Donaldson Lufkin & Jenrette.”
Trump denied furiously to Fortune then that he did anything amiss and dutifully swore to pay off his debts. But many of those who knew him well had their doubts. “A couple of people close to Trump and otherwise sympathetic to him suggested to me that he’s unfit to be running a public company,” wrote Useem in 2000. “Given that the low stock price seems partly a function of Wall Street’s allergic response to Trump’s flamboyance—analysts call it ‘the Donald factor’—the obvious solution would be for Trump to remove himself from management. One industry executive estimates that step alone would bring a 30% bump in the stock.”
Yet even more striking than the eternal unsteadiness of his business dealings was Trump’s eternal fear of being seen as an unsteady businessman. During one of Trump’s telephone conversations with Useem, the developer said he’d “sue the ass off of Fortune” if the magazine was to “disparage [his] cash flow.”
Four years later, writer Daniel Roth revisited this image obsession in his marvelous profile, “The Trophy Life,” which graced the cover of Fortune’s April 19, 2004 edition. Trump—the son of a bonafide New York real estate mogul—“funded a world of buildings, hotels, and casinos, a USFL football team (helmed by Doug Flutie), a 284-foot yacht (helmed on the comic pages by Doonesbury character Duke), and an airline, mainly by charming banks into huge mortgages—even persuading them to lend him money for his equity stake, backed only by personal guarantees,” wrote Roth.
“When the early 1990s recession hit, Trump began to default on his loans and found himself with nearly $1 billion in debt that he personally had guaranteed. He worked out a deal with the banks to sell his properties and get them some of their money back. In return, they spared him from having to declare personal bankruptcy. Reports at the time said the banks granted Trump a $450,000 monthly allowance. He denies it. ‘Honestly, wouldn’t that be terrible PR for the banks?’ Trump says.”
Was the developer worth the billions of dollars he said he was? Or a fraction of that? Fortune’s attempt to dig into Trumpian finances “yielded only murk,” wrote Roth. “All his deals are buried in layers of corporate names, partners, and either debt or no debt, depending on whether you’re talking to Trump.”
Recalling the story 13 years later, Roth, who is now Executive Editor at LinkedIn, told Recode’s Peter Kafka, that Trump “was very focused on this idea that I would realize that he was successful as a business person.” In 2004, when Roth wrote his story “The Apprentice” had become the biggest show in America. “And here was this guy who was incredibly successful, clearly very successful, and he went out of his way to try to make sure that I, the reporter, realized he was successful. Showing me clip after clip of articles written about his golf courses.”
“I had never had an experience,” said Roth, “where someone had tried so baldly to let me know that they were important and other people thought they were successful.”