Trump Says He’ll Eliminate Taxes on Tips if Elected

In Las Vegas on Sunday at his first rally since his felony conviction, Former President Donald Trump told voters he would end the taxation of gratuities for workers who make tips.

The Details: The rally took place in weather conditions several outlets have described as “sweltering” and saw an attendance that “vastly exceeded the reported 6,000 tickets issued,” according to The New York Post (Lean Right bias).

For Context: Nevada is a battleground state where over 25% of private sector workers are employed in the hospitality industry, according to the state’s figures. Trump lost the state to Democrats in both 2016 and 2020.

Key Quotes: Trump said, “Hotel workers and people that get tips, you’re going to be very happy because when I get to office, we are going to not charge taxes on tips. We’re going to do that right away.” Nevada Culinary Workers Union secretary-treasurer Ted Pappageorge said, ″Relief is definitely needed for tip earners, but Nevada workers are smart enough to know the difference between real solutions and wild campaign promises from a convicted felon.”

How The Media Covered It: The New York Post featured comments from supporters who attended the rally. The Washington Post (Lean Left bias) noted that “in 2018, the latest year for which complete IRS data is available,” the average tipped worker reported $6,249 in taxed tips. CNBC (Center bias) claimed voters “remember the Trump-era economy through rose-colored lenses” and cited figures from FactCheck.org (Lean Left bias) which it described as “nonpartisan.”