NEW YORK - Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump declared a $916 million loss on his 1995 income tax returns and the large tax deduction may have allowed him to avoid paying federal income taxes for up to 18 years, the New York Times reported on Sunday.

An unsigned statement from the Trump campaign posted to the Times' website did not appear to deny or dispute a single fact in the newspaper's story, but asserted the document was "illegally obtained." The statement also accused the Times of operating as an extension of the presidential campaign of Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.

The newspaper said it had obtained Trump's 1995 tax records and that they showed he received the large tax benefits from financial deals that went bad in the early 1990s.

It said that tax experts it hired to analyse Trump's records said tax rules which are especially advantageous to wealthy filers would have let Trump use his $916 million loss to cancel out an equivalent amount of taxable income over an 18-year period. Trump himself tweeted early Sunday: "I know our complex tax laws better than anyone who has ever run for president and am the only one who can fix them." Again, he did not deny or dispute the Times' findings.

Three tax experts hired by the Times said the size of the deduction and tax rules governing wealthy filers could have allowed Trump to legally pay no federal income taxes for 18 years.

There is nothing in the report that shows he actually took advantage of the rules to avoid paying taxes.

Trump has based his campaign on his experience as a successful businessman, vowing to rewrite trade agreements and make deals with other countries that would ensure jobs return to the US.

Trump has declined to release his tax returns, an issue which was raised by Hillary Clinton at the Sept 26 presidential debate.

Clinton at the debate suggested the returns might show Trump hasn't paid any federal taxes, which Trump did not address.

When Clinton said a couple years of returns when Trump was trying to get a casino licence showed he didn't pay any federal income taxes, Trump interjected: "That makes me smart."

The Clinton campaign pounced on the Times report. Campaign spokesman Brian Fallon tweeted: "Trump's returns show just how lousy a businessman he is and how long he may have avoided paying any taxes."

SANDERS DEFENDS HILLARY'S

REMARKS ABOUT HIS FANS

US Senator Bernie Sanders, who ran a primary campaign against Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton earlier this year, has defended the former secretary of state’s disparaging remarks about his supporters.

Clinton was heard in a leaked audio clip describing Sanders’ supporters as “children of the Great Recession,” who are “living in their parents’ basement.” Sanders defended Clinton’s remarks in an interview with CNN on Sunday, saying the former first lady had a ‘point’. “Well, I agree with her, what she is saying,” Sanders said.

“There are young people who went deeply into debt, worked very hard to get a good education, and yet get out of school and can't get decent jobs... and are living in their parents' basements. There is a point there.”

The audio, released by the Free Beacon on Saturday, was from a private fundraiser hosted by former US ambassador Beatrice Welters in Virginia in February.

According to the audio, Clinton had also accused the former presidential candidate of selling a “false hope” to his supporters. Sanders said he was bothered by the comment but his supporters should vote for Clinton regardless.

“Look at Clinton's positions; look at Trump's positions. Understand that one or the other of those two will be the next president of the United States, and after you take a hard look at those candidates and their issues, I think the conclusion the vast majority will reach is that Clinton is the superior candidate,” Sanders said.

During the primaries, Sanders ran a close race with Clinton and promised to continue the fight all the way until the Democratic National Convention in June, where the party’s nominee was going to be named. Towards the end of the race, however, Sanders changed his tone and bowed out in favour of Clinton. He also appeared next to her during the DNC and officially endorsed her by giving an emotional speech.

Meanwhile, Trump jumped on the audio file as an opportunity to win over Sanders’ fans, who feel betrayed by the senator.

The billionaire businessman said the comments were “demeaning and mocking,” and showed that Clinton “thinks Bernie supporters are hopeless and ignorant basement dwellers.”