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Published Mar 16, 2017

Ep. 270 - Epic Media Fail: Trump Tax Return Edition

Ben Shapiro critiques media bias in NBC's portrayal of Trump's tax returns, dissects the anticlimactic reveal of his taxes following Rachel Maddow's coverage, and challenges the New York Board of Regents' decision to eliminate a teacher literacy test, arguing it undermines educational standards in favor of racial politics.
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  • Media Reaction

    The media's handling of Donald Trump's tax return leak, particularly Rachel Maddow's coverage, became a spectacle. highlights how Maddow's buildup on Twitter led to a disappointing reveal, as she spent an extended time on air before disclosing that Trump paid $38 million in taxes in 2005 1. This anticlimactic moment was compared to past media blunders, emphasizing the media's eagerness for a "silver bullet" against Trump 2.

    The media's desire for a silver bullet for Trump is so high. This is why people were sitting on this last night.

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    Shapiro also notes the irony of Hillary Clinton's past claims about Trump's taxes, as her spokesman had to pivot the narrative after the tax returns showed Trump paid substantial taxes 3.

       

    Tax Details

    The specifics of Trump's tax returns revealed that in 2005, he earned $150 million and paid $38 million in taxes, resulting in a 25% effective tax rate 4. contrasts this with the lower tax rates of prominent figures like Barack Obama and Bernie Sanders, highlighting the media's failure to find wrongdoing 4.

    Trump is super duper rich. Well done, Rachel Maddow. You've broken the story. You've got the silver bullet.

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    The revelation was seen as beneficial for Trump, as it contradicted claims that he paid no taxes. Shapiro humorously suggests that Trump could have leaked the returns himself to distract from other issues, though he doubts this theory 5.

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