Days after Donald Trump’s last Republican opponent dropped out of the race, Trump is beginning to sound more liberal on economic policy.
On Sunday, Trump told Chuck Todd that he’s open to raising taxes and raising the minimum wage.
When asked about his tax plan, which he calls, “the biggest tax cut by far of any candidate,” Trump said taxes should be raised on the wealthy.
“I come up with the biggest tax cut by far of any candidate. Anybody. And put it in. But that doesn’t mean that’s what we’re going to get. We have to negotiate. The thing I’m going to do is make sure the middle class gets good tax breaks, because they have been absolutely shunned. The other thing, I’m going to fight very hard for business. For the wealthy, I think frankly it’s going to go up. You know what, it really should go up.”
Trump went on to explain his proposal is the floor from which negotiations occur, adding, “I have no illusions, I don’t think that’s going to be the final plan. Because they are going to come to me, including the Democrats and everybody else, come to me and want to negotiate.”
He later added, “the rich is probably going to end up paying more, and business might have to pay a little bit more but we’re giving a massive business tax cut.”
Todd called Trump out on his flip-flop. “You just said business might pay a little bit more, but we’ll get them a massive tax cut. You said it within ten words.”
Trump clarified, “I said they might have to pay a little bit more than my proposal.”
Todd also asked Trump about his change on the minimum wage. Trump said he’d like to raise it.
“Let me just tell you, I’ve been traveling the country for many months, since june 16th. I’m all over. Today I’m in the state of Washington, where the the arena behind me you probably hear is packed with thousands and thousands of people. I’m doing that after I finish you. I have seen what’s going on. And I don’t know people make it on $7.25 an hour. With that being said, I would like to see an increase of some magnitude, but I’d rather leave it to the states. Let the states decide. Don’t forget, the states have to compete with each other.”
Todd interjected, “should the federal government set a floor and then you let the states?”
“No,” Trump replied. “I would rather have the states go out and do what they have to do.”
Watch the full exchange here:
