Former president and 2024 Republican presidential contender Donald Trump discussed over taxation during a barbershop town hall sponsored by Fox News Channel’s Fox & Friends, saying he views abolishing the federal income tax as not only feasible but also a possible way forward to address the over taxation load.
Trump’s remarks occurred as one barber shop patron questioned, “I think one of the main obstacles we have in reaching the American ideal is overtaxation regarding federal taxes. I know we are going to bring back, I am confident you are going to start back up the pipeline. The Keystone pipeline— Trump cut in, “In two minutes.”
Trump was questioned straight on whether the income tax could be abolished: “Which is going to create a lot of money. Also with the rates you mentioned. Given all this more income we will be bringing into the nation, my inquiry is Once the nation is back on its feet and generating sufficient income having paid off its debt, do you think it feasible to discover a method to abolish federal taxes?
Trump, in response, said that the federal income tax is completely preventable and can be eliminated. He responded, in response, “There is a way.” One exists. Former President Trump said that in the past, America was rather able to sustain itself without an income tax, instead depending on industry-protecting tariffs.
Referring to the tax-generating practices of the McKinley presidency and era, he claimed, “In the old days, when we were smart, when we were a smart country in the 1890s and all, this is when the country was relatively the richest it ever was. All tariffs were present. There was no income tax.
He went on to say that presently many believe America’s income tax to be somewhat burdensome and, in certain situations, unpayable for average individuals. He continued, “Okay, now we have income taxes and we have people that are dying, they’re paying tax and they don’t have the money to pay the tax,” making the point.
He then remarked on how rich he thought America was when it financed items depending on a tariff rather than income tax, adding, “You know, in the old days, 1890, 1880, we had so much money they had to put up committees, blue ribbon committees, how to spend our wealth. We had no notion how to spend, it was so much cash.
