Donald Trump is set to file the financial disclosure forms required of all presidential hopefuls on Wednesday or Thursday of this week, the Republican candidate said in an appearance on MSNBC’s Morning Joe.
The forms would reveal precise details about Trump’s wealth, putting an end to speculation about his fortune by the media—and by himself.
Trump has publicly said his wealth amounts to $9 billion, which, if true, would make him the richest individual to ever run for president, the AP points out. But he has already been criticized for exaggerating the value of his golf empire by as much as $1 billion, so some doubt whether his own $9 billion figure is correct.
Trump told the Morning Joe hosts that when he files the disclosures, “the numbers will be far in excess of what anybody thought.” In 2009, Trump famously sued the author of an unauthorized book about him for writing that Trump’s fortune could be as low as $150 million; Trump lost.
Although he has lost a slew of corporate partnerships (as well as golf tournaments) in recent weeks because of his controversial comments on Mexican immigrants, reports on Tuesday indicated that Trump is tied with Jeb Bush for the lead among Republican candidates in national polls.
Campaign laws require presidential candidates to submit details about their personal finances to the Federal Elections Commission within 30 days of officially declaring their bid for the presidency. Candidates may apply for up to two 45-day extensions on that limit.
Still, the disclosure form is not likely to be as detailed as many hope. It will require Trump to give a broad value for his assets, rather than an itemized list. Thus, skepticism and curiosity over his true wealth may continue for some time.
