Trump Remark Makes Americans Mad

President Trump said Friday that Republicans should “probably not” move forward with raising taxes on wealthy Americans, though he added he would be fine if it ultimately happened. The comment comes as lawmakers continue to negotiate the final details of a sweeping legislative package aimed at delivering on Trump’s key priorities.

His remarks followed reports that the White House had floated a late-stage proposal to increase taxes on the wealthiest Americans, specifically by allowing a top income tax rate cut from Trump’s 2017 tax law to expire at the end of the year. The proposed change would raise the rate for top earners from 37 percent back to 39.6 percent.

Trump wrote online that even a small tax hike for the rich could become politically damaging, recalling how former President George H.W. Bush faced backlash over a similar issue. He claimed Democrats would weaponize the proposal with campaign slogans, despite the modest scope. Still, he noted that while Republicans should “probably not do it,” he would be “OK if they do.”

The proposal in question targets those with incomes above $2.5 million for single filers or $5 million for joint filers. Lower income brackets, along with the rest of the 2017 tax cuts, would remain intact under the plan.

Sources familiar with the White House’s internal discussions say Trump made the pitch as recently as Wednesday. The suggestion appears to be part of an effort to give the final bill broader appeal across the Republican spectrum, as party leaders aim to balance fiscal conservatism with populist messaging.

But the idea has stirred unease across the country. Many Americans have voiced frustration that tax policy debates continue to favor the ultra-wealthy, and some are skeptical that the change would meaningfully improve their own financial situations. Others view the back-and-forth as another sign of inconsistency in Trump’s economic approach. The prospect of raising taxes on high earners, even modestly, has left some working- and middle-class Americans questioning whether they will benefit at all from the broader economic agenda being debated.