Biden on Trump releasing his taxes: 'When? Inshallah?'

WASHINGTON

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden cast doubt during Tuesday night's debate on whether US President Donald Trump would ever release his tax returns.

"You'll get to see it," Trump said repeatedly as moderator Chris Wallace pressed him to commit to a firm timeline. Biden retorted, "When? Inshallah?"

While the Arabic language phrase literally means "God Willing," it also has colloquial connotations of ambiguous commitment.

Biden earlier released his personal income taxes, which show the former vice president and his wife Jill Biden paid about 30% of their $985,000 gross personal income.

Trump has refused to voluntarily release his income taxes, which had been a presidential custom stretching back decades.

The New York Times reported Monday that Trump did not pay any federal income taxes in 10 of the last 15 years. It said the former businessman paid just $750 in federal income tax in 2016 and another $750 in 2017, the year he took office.

Trump disputed the report during Tuesday night's debate, saying he has "paid millions of dollars in taxes, millions of dollars of income tax."