Las Vegas (AP) – President Donald Trump came to Las Vegas on Saturday to praise his election promise to abolish taxes on tips. He signaled the importance of this policy to the allies in the congress, but far avoided giving details about the implementation of the slogan.
Instead, Trump spent most of his 40 minutes to speak in front of around 1,000 followers in a casino ballroom, praising his election victory in November, making fun of the government of former President Joe Biden and his flood of executive measures since taking office to promote on Monday.
“But I have to be honest with you, I am actually here for another reason, I’m here to say thank you,” said Trump of the crowd at around Resort & Casino.
The victory round, Trump’s first swing state rally since he took office, took place after he won the six election men in Nevada in November, making the first Republican since George W. Bush in 2004 who won the state. It was part of Trump’s triumphal march in all seven most competitive countries that gave him a robust majority of voters and a second, not consecutive term.
Aides said Trump’s stay in Nevada aimed to send an “economic -oriented message” that build on his known promise to employees in the hospitality industry to abolish the tax on drinking money.
“We get it for you – ‘no tax on tips’,” said Trump, who was behind a podium on which the same slogan was emblazoned that he had used during the entire 2024 election campaign.
After the rally, Trump went under the cheering of the “USA, USA” visitors through the floor of the circa casino, past the violet hewn. At a roulette table, a player called for Trump, the 47th president, “give me $ 47 at 47”. “Ohh,” complained Trump about the lost litter, but made autographs while the fans joined.
If you bring it into detail, Trump’s comments on the drinking money were a signal for the Republicans in the congress that the proposal has priority for the massive tax package that they want to say goodbye this year. Trump will meet with the Republicans in the House of Representatives on Monday who meet in Florida to determine the future strategy.
Spokesman Mike Johnson, who is working on getting the package, invited Trump to speak at a joint congress meeting on March 4, a tradition for novel presidents who only spoke about the nation in the second year of their term. Johnson said that the legislators working with Trump hope that the next four years will be “among the most serious in the history of our country”.
Nevada is a familiar backdrop for talks about tips and taxes. As a candidate, Trump announced the idea for the first time during a rally in Las Vegas to abolish the tip taxes – a proposal that was later taken over by his democratic opponent Kamala Harris.
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that there are 2.24 million restaurant waiter nationwide, whose drinking money is made up for a gigantic percentage of their income.
In Las Vegas, the 24-hour economy is driven by everyone, from waiters and parking service to hotel girls and casino dealers who collect all tips. With around 25.8 waiters and waitresses alone, Nevada has the highest concentration of workers nationwide, followed by Hawaii and Florida.
TED Pappage Search, Secretary and Treasurer of the Culinary Union, which represents around 60,000 employees in the hospitality industry all over Nevada, said Trump’s plans “must not end the taxation of drinking money”.
“The abolition of taxes on drinking money and the abolition of the minimum wage of $ 2.13-this is the reality in too many states across the country-will give up millions of employees in hospitals,” said Pappage care. He said that many employers set the hourly wages significantly below the federal minimum wage and expect to compensate for drinking money.
Despite the declared focus on taxes, the rally in Nevada served primarily as a key stone for Trump’s first week in office when he presented the implementation regulations and their effects signed by the crowd.
“We have achieved more in a week than most governments have experienced in four years, and we are just starting,” said Trump, adding that his executive orders “the terrible failures and the betrayal we from a group have inherited from humans, undo. “Didn’t know what the hell did.”
Among other things, Trump conducted comprehensive freezing for novel funds for the entire US foreign assistance, his announcement of a withdrawal from the United States from the Paris climate agreement and its order for the employment of diversity, justice and inclusion programs throughout the federal government.
“We feel a light over our country,” said Trump. “Everyone does it.”
___
Beaumont reported from the Moines, Iowa.
