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Trump on Joe Rogan Podcast Proposes Eliminating Income Tax, Replacing with Tariffs

Oct 26, 2024, 03:35 AM

Former President Donald Trump expressed serious consideration about eliminating federal income tax and replacing it with tariffs during an interview on the Joe Rogan podcast on October 26, 2024. Trump proposed that the United States could fund the government through tariffs on imports, drawing parallels to the economic policies of the late 19th century under President William McKinley, whom he referred to as "the tariff king." He argued that tariffs would protect American jobs and boost domestic manufacturing, stating, "We thrived under tariffs—income tax was a mistake." When Rogan asked if he was serious about the idea of abolishing income taxes and replacing them with tariffs, Trump responded, "Sure, why not?" Trump's proposal has sparked significant conversation about the future of U.S. tax policy, though experts have dismissed the idea as mathematically impossible and economically destructive.