Democracy Dies in Darkness

Wait, did Trump win or lose? A seven-question FAQ on the Supreme Court’s ruling.

The Supreme Court didn’t give Trump a victory. But it gave him time, which may be the same thing.

By
July 9, 2020 at 5:18 p.m. EDT
President Trump participates in a roundtable discussion on reopening schools at the White House on Tuesday. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post)

On Thursday, the Supreme Court handed down a pair of rulings in cases where President Trump was seeking to keep others from obtaining his tax returns and private financial information.

Here’s seven questions and seven answers about what happened:

1. Who was seeking Trump’s financial information, and why?

In one of the cases, it was the Democratic-led House of Representatives. The House had asked Trump’s bankers and accountants for a wide range of documents about his loans, his business partners, and his financial transactions. The House said it needed this information to consider future legislation about taxes, foreign interference in the U.S., or money laundering.