Fact Check: Did Supreme Court give Trump 72 hours to release financial records or face jail?
WASHINGTON, DC: Claims circulated online alleging that the Supreme Court ordered President Donald Trump to release his financial records within 72 hours or face prison time. According to the posts, failure to comply with the alleged order would have resulted in Trump being jailed.
The claim first appeared on Facebook and later spread to YouTube and Threads on Tuesday, December 30. As the posts gained traction across platforms, users questioned whether the reports reflected an actual court action or were based on misleading or fabricated information. A closer review of the claim shows it lacked factual support.
Claim: Supreme Court gave Donald Trump a deadline to release financial records
The allegation circulated widely across Facebook, YouTube, and Threads, with most posts asserting that the Supreme Court had imposed a 72-hour deadline on Trump to release his financial records. Several Facebook posts shared after December 30, however, stated the deadline was 52 hours, adding to confusion around the claim.
One Facebook page, US Politics, shared a post suggesting Trump faced an imminent prison sentence. The caption read, “For the first time in modern history, the Supreme Court has removed the shield that once protected financial records thought to be untouchable. No delays. No loopholes. No political escape routes."
A YouTube video promoting a similar narrative also gained traction. The video claimed, “The Supreme Court has issued a stunning and unprecedented ruling that has sent shockwaves through Donald Trump’s legal team and the political landscape.”
It further alleged that, “In a decision released without warning, the Court revealed the existence of a sealed grand jury investigation that has been operating in secrecy for more than a year and ordered immediate compliance within 72 hours."
Fact Check: Supreme Court did not order Donald Trump to release financial records within 72 hours
The claim that the Supreme Court gave Donald Trump a 72-hour deadline to release his financial records is false. There is no evidence the court issued such an order or considered any related matter at the time the posts circulated.
The Supreme Court did not hear arguments, issue a ruling, or release an opinion on December 30. Its last publicly recorded action in 2025 occurred on December 22 and was unrelated to Trump or his financial records.
The most recent Supreme Court action involving Trump’s financial records dates back to 2022, when the court declined to block the release of his tax returns to the House Ways and Means Committee. Since then, there has been no ruling ordering Trump to disclose additional financial documents.
Another red flag in the viral posts was the vague reference to Trump’s “financial records” without specifying what documents were allegedly demanded. Legitimate court orders clearly identify the records at issue, the legal basis for disclosure, and the parties involved.
As of January 2, 2026, the Supreme Court had not heard any cases in 2025 or 2026 concerning the release of Donald Trump’s financial records. This was confirmed through the Supreme Court’s official calendar, the judicial archive Oyez, and reporting from SCOTUSBlog.
If the Supreme Court had ordered Trump to release financial records under threat of jail time, the development would have been widely reported by major news organizations and reflected in official court filings. No such coverage or documentation exists.
This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.
