Donald Trump has appeared to admit the central thrust of the criminal case against his property empire, asking how “anybody could know” businesses have to pay tax on the benefits they offer staff, such as company cars or school fees.

The Trump Organisation has been accused of evading taxes on $1.7m (€1.4m) worth of benefits handed to Allen Weisselberg, its chief financial officer – which included private school fees for his grandchildren.

Mr Trump was unrepentant when he addressed supporters at the weekend at a rally in Sarasota, Florida, asking whether the charges even amounted to a crime.

“They go after good, hard-working people for not paying taxes on a company car,” he said.

“You didn’t pay tax on the car or a company apartment. You used an apartment because you need an apartment because you have to travel too far from where your house is.

“You didn’t pay tax. Or education for your grandchildren. I don’t even know. Do you have to? Does anybody know the answer to that stuff?”

The former president, who along with his family has not been charged with any offence, said New York’s prosecutors should devote their attention elsewhere. “For murder and for selling massive amounts of the worst drugs in the world that kill people left and right, that’s OK,” he said.

“Think of it, think of how unfair it is. Never before has New York City and their prosecutors or perhaps any prosecutors criminally charged a company or a person for fringe benefits.

“Fringe benefits. Murders, OK. Human trafficking, no problem – but fringe benefits, you can’t do that.”

Mr Trump’s anger has been fuelled by the fact that prosecutions for dodging tax on fringe benefits are rare.

The case echoes the case brought against property developer Leona Helmsley in the 1980s. She was jailed for evading $1.2m in taxes in a case brought by then US attorney, Rudy Giuliani.

At the time, Mr Trump had little sympathy for his rival property developer who, according to evidence presented in court, said: “We don’t pay taxes; only the little people pay taxes.”

The tax case in New York is just part of a blizzard of litigation which is likely to engulf Mr Trump – who has lost immunity from prosecution since leaving office.

His bombastic response to the charges came as little surprise to Christopher Galdieri, an associate professor of politics at Saint Anselm College in New Hampshire.

“Trump’s strategy with this sort of thing is to talk about it in public and say it is not a crime,” said Mr Galdieri. “This might work with Trump’s supporters, but it will not be terribly persuasive with prosecutors, a judge or a jury in the court room.”

While Mr Trump wrestles with his latest legal problems, his successor continues to ride high in the polls. More than 60pc of Americans approve of Joe Biden’s handling of the pandemic.

 

Telegraph Media Group Limited [2021]