CNN anchor Alisyn Camerota appeared shocked after former Republican senator and political commentator Rick Santorum suggested The New York Times’ story on President Donald Trump’s tax returns was false.
Trump did not pay federal income taxes for 10 of the last 15 years and only paid $750 in federal income taxes for both 2016 and 2017, according to articles published Sunday by the NYT.
The publication reportedly received Trump’s personal and corporate taxes for the past two decades, and the president’s companies allegedly reported huge losses to cover the millions in yearly federal taxes he would normally have to pay.
Camerota spoke with Santorum and Charlie Dent, a former Republican congressman who has endorsed Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden. Santorum first said that if Trump “is losing money, he shouldn’t be paying taxes.”
“And by the way, The New York Times refuses to share the information with Trump. They’re refusing to show that they in fact have those documents. The Trump campaign …” Santorum added before Camerota chimed in.
“So are you … are you doubting whether The New York Times is really reporting on this? Is that what you’re saying?” she asked, appearing shocked at the claim.
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Santorum responded by saying he isn’t “sure you want to go there with the NYT.” Camerota again asked if he doubts “they actually have the information.”
“How many Russian stories turned out to be not only not true, but the reverse of what we’re now finding out about was going on in the FBI?” Santorum responded. The network then had a technical error as music began to play in the headphones of Camerota and her guests.
The president called the articles from the NYT “fake news” Sunday evening.