Trump in DC Proposes Eliminating Federal Income Tax, Replacing with Tariffs, Economists Skeptical

Jun 13, 2024, 07:00 PM

Former President Donald Trump brought his comeback campaign to Washington, D.C., where he rallied Republican lawmakers and business leaders. During his speech, Trump floated the idea of completely eliminating the federal income tax and replacing it with tariffs on imports. This proposal, reminiscent of the pre-World War One tax system, has not been well-received by economists. GOP Rep. Don Bacon noted that Trump mentioned how taxes were handled before World War One. A Trump campaign official clarified that the former president has frequently mentioned that as tariffs on foreign countries increase, taxes on American workers could decrease. Trump’s campaign continues to emphasize a pro-tariff and anti-income-tax agenda.