Donald Trump Slams Rachel Maddow's Release of His Tax Returns, Calls It 'Fake News'

Following Rachel Maddow's release of President Trump's tax returns, the president took to Twitter to slam the MSNBC anchor. 

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The White House denounced the publication of the president’s 2005 tax returns by MSNBC host Rachel Maddow calling it "illegal,” after she showed them on the air Tuesday night.

In addition, Trump tweeted early Wednesday morning: "Does anybody really believe that a reporter, who nobody ever heard of, ‘went to his mailbox’ and found my tax returns? @nbcnews fake news!”

The White House confirmed Tuesday night that the commander in chief made more than $150 million in income in 2005 and paid $38 million in income taxes that year at a tax rate of 25 percent.

Maddow set the nation on fire with a single tweet at 7:36 p.m. Tuesday night stating that on her show she would release Trump’s tax returns.

As many tuned in, many were left underwhelmed at her scoop and vented their frustration on Twitter.

Even Donald Trump Jr. tweeted: “Thank you Rachel Maddow for proving to your #Trump hating followers how successful @realdonaldtrump is & that he paid $40mm in taxes!”

The tax returns were mailed to the home of David Cay Johnston, a former tax reporter for The New York Times, who has written a book about the real estate tycoon called The Making of Donald Trump.

Johnston believes the president himself sent him the documents as a diversion. He did not specify when he received the documents and claimed to Maddow that he did not obtain them illegally.

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“Donald has a long history of leaking material about himself when he thinks it’s in his best interest,” Johnston told Maddow.

After his appearance, he began getting backlash on Twitter, and called for debate rather than threats.

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