Trump says he's open to tax hike for richest Americans in pursuit of Democrats
WASHINGTON _ Eager to garner Democratic support for a still-emerging tax overhaul package, President Donald Trump on Wednesday expressed a willingness to raise taxes on the wealthiest Americans.
During a meeting with lawmakers from both parties, Trump pledged that he wants lawmakers to craft a bill focused on slashing middle-class tax rates and doing things to create jobs _ code for a dramatic corporate tax rate cut.
"The rich will not be gaining at all with this plan. We are looking for the middle class and we are looking for jobs _ jobs being the economy," Trump told reporters as the White House meeting began. "So we're looking at (the) middle class and we're looking at jobs.
"I think the wealthy will be pretty much where they are, pretty much where they are," Trump told reporters of tax rates on the wealthiest Americans. "If they have to go higher, they'll go higher."
Leading Democrats, including Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer of New York, have flatly stated their conference will not support any tax measure that cuts rates for the highest-earners.
_CQ-Roll Call
