Trump ties tax file, Obama's birth record

WASHINGTON, April 19 (UPI) -- Potential Republican presidential contender Donald Trump says when U.S. President Obama releases his birth certificate, he'll release his tax returns.

"Maybe I'm going to do the tax returns when Obama does his birth certificate," the business mogul told ABC's "Good Morning America" Monday. "I'd love to give my tax returns. I may tie my tax returns into Obama's birth certificate."

Trump has promised to reveal details of his finances should he decide to seek the Republican nomination for president in 2012, but stopped short of saying he'd release his tax returns.

Trump stood firm on questions he raised concerning whether Obama was born in the United States.

"There's a real question about the birth certificate," Trump said. "There's a real question about the -- his own -- his own citizenship."

Obama's campaign released an electronic copy of his 1961 "certification of live birth" in 2008. But people who insist, without evidence, that he was born in Kenya have swamped Hawaii with requests for original documents. Last year, former Gov. Linda Lingle, a Republican, signed into law a bill allowing the state to ignore repeated requests for Obama's birth certificate.

Trump said he sent a team of investigators to Hawaii to investigate the matter, but told the ABC interviewer it was "none of your business right now" about what the team found.

"We're going to see what happens," Trump said.

The birther controversy isn't the biggest issue for Trump, who said he "hopes" Obama has his birth certificate.

"I'm looking at the poll numbers. I see what's happening with this country," Trump said. "This country is in such trouble."