President Trump needed his first week back in the White House to deliver a speech in Las Vegas on Saturday about an economic plan he suggested would be crucial to his reelection victory. are important.
But despite the stage’s massive sign saying “No Tax on Tips,” there are no details on how the promise will be made a reality.
“I’ve got to be honest with you, I’m actually here for a different reason,” Mr Trump told the crowd at a Las Vegas casino. “I’m here to say thank you.”
Instead of focusing on his economic plan, Mr. Trump took all kinds of victory laps in front of hundreds of supporters.
He announced a series of executive orders that would shut down immigration and other diversity, equity and inclusion programs in government. “We got rid of the woke crap,” he said of the DI moves.
The president also criticized the World Health Organization and spoke about his decision to pardon rioters on January 6, with the founder of a militia group in attendance. He attacked former President Joseph R. Biden Jr., a day after he sparred with Democrats during a briefing on the recovery from wildfires in California.
Despite winning the election and nearing the end of his first week in office, Mr. Trump still joined the campaign trail.
“They put America last, they put you last,” Mr Trump said, adding that he didn’t know “he was alive” while Mr Biden was in office. “Bad things were happening, and now there is light.”
The final day of his first trip to his second term signaled a collision of lofty campaign promises with the realities of governing. Mr Trump told the crowd at the Circa Resort and Casino that he would work with Congress in the coming weeks on legislation that is “keeping up with my promise” not to impose tax hikes.
Mr. Trump said the pledge, which has become a key plank of his campaign, originated with a suggestion from a waitress he met at a hotel. After proposing the idea, he said, “I said, ‘Thank you very much, you just won the election.’
But he had little to say about paving the way for a proposal by Congress. Republicans have introduced legislation interpreting Mr. Trump’s pledge in different ways, some of which have increased the cost of fulfilling it.
One of the details being debated is what types of taxes people should be allowed to be exempt from. Many workers pay both income taxes and payroll taxes, which fund Social Security and Medicare, although low-wage workers often owe little or no income tax.
A proposal in Congress would exempt points from income taxes, but keep them for payroll taxes, at an estimated cost of $106 billion over a decade.
Generating a tax-free form of income could encourage many Americans, including highly compensated professionals, to change what they are paid, making the tax break even more costly. To address this, Republicans could set an income cap, barring wealthy Americans from a tax break, or allow taxpayers to exclude only a certain amount from their taxable income. can allow
Mr. Trump’s audience at the casino on Saturday seemed thoroughly satisfied with Mr. Trump’s performance, even if it came without details about the delivery.
The crowd roared when he announced that Pat Hegseth had been confirmed as Secretary of Defense the night before. He cheered as Mr Trump told a crowd he was “very proud to pardon the J6 hostages” including Stuart Rhodes, the founder of the Sworn Militia, who until his sentence was commuted. He was serving an 18-year prison sentence for conspiracy. By Mr. Trump.
Mr. Trump laughed when he appeared to joke about serving a third term, an idea that has prompted a Long shot suggestion To change 22nd Amendment term limits from House Republicans to Congress.
“To serve not once but twice or three times or four times would be the greatest honor of my life,” Trump laughed. “No, it would be serving twice,” he added.
After his speech, Mr Trump walked downstairs to the casino floor, where he was greeted with cheers from patrons as he watched a game of craps.
“Roll the dice,” Mr. Trump said, as he ignored a reporter’s outcry over the firing of at least a dozen inspectors general in the federal government. “Not bad,” Mr. Trump said after the gamble.
